Sakkarai Pongal Recipe (Chakkara Pongal)

For 12 years after I got married, Bangalore was our base. Due to Mohit’s job, we would travel to a new country, spend some time there, return to Bangalore, stay for 2-3 months, and then relocate to another country.

We also had a full setup at home in Bangalore, and Bhavye and I would often come in between. We had also made many friends during this time. Many of them were South Indian.

I once was in Bangalore during Sankranti (harvest festival), and one of our neighbors called us home. They had made a huge spread for the festival. There was ven pongal, curd rice, vada, sambar, rasam, potato roast, and many other items. For the sweet, they made this Sakkarai pongal.

It was a delicious treat and different from the North Indian sweets I was used to having.

I was told that each household has its own recipe for this dish. The base ingredients remain the same, but the ratios change here and there. In this post, I am sharing the recipe I learned from my neighbor.

About Sakkarai Pongal

Sakkarai Pongal (also known as Chakkara Pongal, Sweet Pongal, or Chakkarai Pongal) is a sweet dish made with rice, lentils, and jaggery. It is a South Indian (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) specialty made for auspicious occasions as an offering to the god. It is also made for special occasions and festivals.

In South India, sweet pongal is a must-make dish for the festival of Makar Sankranti (Pongal Festival), which celebrates abundance and prosperity after the harvest. It is offered to the sun god for providing us with food.

Temples all over South India also serve sakkarai pongal as naivedhyam (prashad). They add a pinch of edible camphor to it, which gives it a unique taste.

You can make it in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. I made it in my 3-quart instant pot (or 3-liter pressure cooker). If you want to double or triple the recipe, use a bigger Instant Pot or pressure cooker. The cooking time will remain the same.

How To Make Sweet Pongal Recipe – Step By Step

Cook The Rice And Lentils

In An Instant Pot

Step 1: Wash ½ cup short-grain rice 2-3 times with water. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Wash 3 tablespoons of yellow moong dal and 1 teaspoon of chana dal a few times with water. Drain as much water as possible.

Tip: To eliminate the excess water, spread the lentils on a kitchen cloth for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot.

Step 4: Transfer the lentils to the instant pot and dry roast until they are lightly browned (5-6 minutes), stirring frequently.

Step 5: Now, add the rinsed rice to the cooker.

Step 6: Add 3 cups of water and stir until the mixture is well combined.

Step 7: Close the cooker’s lid and set the valve to the sealing position.

Step 8: Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 15 minutes.

Step 9: Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually.

Step 10: Open the lid and mash the cooked rice and lentils using a ladle or a wire whisk until creamy.

In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Transfer the rinsed lentils to a stovetop pressure cooker and roast on medium heat until they are lightly browned (5-6 minutes), stirring frequently.

Now, add the rinsed rice to the cooker.

Add 3 and ½ cups of water and stir to combine.

Cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and mash the cooked rice and lentils using a ladle or a wire whisk until creamy.

Make Jaggery Syrup

Step 11: While the rice and lentils are cooking, make jaggery syrup.

Add 1 and ½ cups of crushed jaggery and 1 cup of water to a saucepan.

Step 12: Cook on medium heat until the jaggery is dissolved and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Stir frequently while cooking.

Step 13: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.

Make The Pongal

Step 14: Add the following ingredients to the cooker and mix well.

• jaggery mixture
• 2 crushed cardamom or 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 crushed cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder

Step 15: Add a pinch of edible camphor if desired.

Temper The Sweet Pongal

Step 16: Heat 4 tablespoon ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat.

Step 17: Once the ghee is hot, add 8-10 whole cashew nuts and fry until golden brown (1-2 minutes). 

Step 18: Add 12-15 raisins and fry until they plump up (5-6 seconds). Do not add raisins along with cashew nuts; otherwise, they will burn before the cashew nuts turn brown.

Step 19: Pour the tempering over the pongal. Mix well and serve hot or at room temperature.

Variations

There are many variations of this sakkarai pongal recipe, as every household has its own unique way of preparing it.

Some South Indian homes add saffron mixed with milk to their preparation, which gives it a delectable flavor.

You can replace half of the water with milk. Cook the rice and lentils in half the amount of water specified in the recipe. Once they are cooked, add milk and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

You can also experiment with adding grated carrots or pumpkin for a twist in flavor and texture.

Jaggery can be replaced with granulated white sugar, brown sugar, palm sugar, or coconut sugar. The color of the pongal will depend on the color of the jaggery or the sweetener added.

Storage Suggestions

This dish tastes best when served immediately, as it thickens with time. However, if you have leftover sweet Pongal, store it in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave until hot, then serve. If the pongal has thickened significantly, add some hot water while reheating.

I do not recommend freezing it, as its texture will not be great once thawed.