Sweet, soft, generously finished with ghee, cashews and raisins, Sweet Pongal is one of those dishes that belongs as much to a festive offering as it does to the family table.
Also known as Chakkara Pongali in Telugu and Sakkarai Pongal in Tamil, it is traditionally prepared during festivals such as Pongal and Sankranti and is often offered as naivedyam during puja.
This version follows the traditional preparation of rice and moong dal cooked until soft, then combined with sweetener, cardamom and a fragrant ghee tempering. Zeroh replaces the traditional jaggery.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
½ cup moong dal (yellow split skinned lentils)
¾ cup rice (can be reduced to ½ cup)
4 cups water, or 3 cups water + 1 cup milk
For the sweetener mixture
Zeroh, to taste, equivalent to the sweetness of 1 cup jaggery
½ cup water
For the tempering
2–3 tbsp ghee, or more as desired
15 cashew nuts, split and cleaned
2 cloves, crushed, optional
2 tbsp coconut pieces, sliced or chopped, optional
2 tbsp raisins
½–¾ tsp green cardamom powder
1 small pinch edible camphor, optional
Method
Roast the moong dal
Add the moong dal to a heavy-bottomed pan or pressure cooker.
Dry roast it over a medium flame, stirring often, until it becomes fragrant and lightly golden. This takes about 5–7 minutes.
Do not brown the dal too much, as this changes the flavour.
Add and wash the rice
Add the rice to the roasted moong dal.
Pour in water and rinse the rice and dal together 2–3 times. Be careful because the pot will be hot.
Drain the water completely.
Cook the rice and dal
Add 4 cups of fresh water. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles over a medium flame.
If using a separate bowl inside the pressure cooker, cook for 4 whistles. The rice and dal should be completely soft and well cooked.
You can also cook them directly in a pot, adding more water if required.
Prepare the Zeroh mixture
While the rice and dal are cooking, add ½ cup water to a small pan. Add Zeroh according to the sweetness required for the equivalent of 1 cup jaggery.
Warm gently until the Zeroh dissolves completely. Unlike jaggery, Zeroh does not need to be boiled until it becomes thick and sticky. Do not try to achieve a jaggery-style syrup consistency.
Keep the sweetened liquid aside.
Mash the cooked rice and dal
Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker. The rice and dal should be very soft.
Lightly mash them together to create the soft, gooey texture characteristic of Sweet Pongal.
Add the sweetener
Strain the sweetened liquid into the cooked rice and dal if needed. Add ½–¾ tsp cardamom powder.
Mix well and cook over a medium flame until the sweetener blends completely with the rice and dal and the mixture begins to bubble.
If the Pongal becomes too thick, add a little boiling hot water and cook for another 3–5 minutes until you reach a soft, gooey consistency.
Turn off the heat.
Prepare the ghee tempering
Heat 2–3 tbsp ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
If using coconut, add the coconut pieces first and fry until golden and aromatic. Remove them and keep aside.
Add the cashews to the same ghee. Lightly crush the cloves and add them. Crushing them helps prevent them from spluttering.
Fry until the cashews turn golden.
Add the raisins
Add the raisins and fry until they become plump. Turn off the heat.
If using edible camphor, add one very small pinch.
Do not use camphor meant for puja or burning. Only food-grade edible camphor is suitable for cooking.
Finish the Pongal
Pour the hot ghee tempering over the cooked Sweet Pongal. Add the fried coconut if using. Mix everything well.
Your Sweet Pongal is ready to serve.
Nutrition Note
Moong dal contributes plant protein, fibre, folate, iron and magnesium, while rice provides the carbohydrates that give Pongal its characteristic soft, comforting texture. Cashews and ghee contribute fat, while raisins add some potassium and naturally occurring sugars.
Recipe Tips
- Roast the moong dal until fragrant and lightly golden, but don't brown it.
- Don't skip rinsing the rice and dal after roasting.
- Cook the rice and dal until very soft. This is what gives Pongal its signature gooey consistency.
- If the Pongal becomes too thick, add boiling hot water rather than cold water.
- Don't try to reduce the Zeroh mixture to the same sticky consistency as jaggery syrup.
- Good-quality ghee makes a noticeable difference to the aroma and flavour.
- Sweet Pongal thickens as it cools. Add a little hot water and gently heat it again if you need to loosen the consistency.
- Edible camphor is optional. If using it, a very small amount is enough because too much can make the Pongal bitter.
Soft rice. Creamy moong dal. Fragrant ghee. Golden cashews.
Sweet Pongal isn't just something you eat during Pongal. It tastes like someone decided a bowl of comfort deserved a festive makeover.
