Make this sweet Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal for the festival of Sankranti. It’s easy to make and can be done in a pressure cooker. Use this Iyengar style recipe to make Sakkarai pongal in an authentic way for your Sankranti or Pongal celebrations.
I love festivals, and more than that I love to celebrate it, be it a North Indian festival or a South Indian. Along with the rituals and traditions, my way of celebrating them in a right way is cooking some delicious traditional delicacies that is popularly made on that particular occasion.
Because what is festival without food, isn’t it? One of my favourite among them is Pongal or Makar Sankranti, which is celebrated in the month of January. It is celebrated on the same day, but it is called Makar Sankranti in North India, whereas Pongal in South India, as a festival of harvest.
On the occasion of Pongal, Sakkara Pongal is made in every South Indian household, just like Til Ki Chikki is made in North India. After preparing sweet pongal, it is offered as naivedyam to the Sun God as a part of the Thanksgiving ritual or puja.
Sakkarai Pongal is a simple sweet dish that is made with rice, dal and sweetened with jaggery, which is usually offered in temples as Prasad. To get the temple flavour in this Pongal, I have also added a tiny pinch of edible camphor while cooking it. Learn how to make Sakkara Pongal Recipe, which can be served along with your South Indian meals too. Here is the recipe of Sakkara Pongal.
What is Sakkarai Pongal?
Sakkarai Pongal, which is also known as Chakkara Pongal is a traditional sweet that is made in the South Indian households on the occasion of Pongal, Varma Lakshmi Puja or any other festivals. It is a delicious combination of short grain rice, moong dal and jaggery.
You can also add sugar as a substitute, but jaggery is traditionally used in this recipe and is a healthier choice too. Also as this festival comes in Winters, jaggery is really good for your body too.
It is then flavoured with cardamoms and cloves. Once it is cooked, it is topped with cashews and raisins which makes it even more tastier. I also like to add a little pinch of edible camphor to make this Sakkara Pongal, just like they make in temples for Prasad.
Traditionally, it is served along with Ven Pongal, which is a savoury version of this Pongal and other preparations on a banana leaf.
How to make Sakkarai Pongal?
This Iyengar Style Sakkarai Pongal, is an easy and quick recipe that can be made for any festival or just to serve along with your South Indian meals. To make Sakkarai Pongal, just fry the moong dal in ghee till it is slightly browned. Make sure you add only ghee to make this recipe, it gives you the authentic and best sweet Pongal.
Just cook the fried dal and rice in a pressure cooker until they are soft. Meanwhile, melt the jaggery in water. Once done, strain the jaggery mixture and add it in the rice dal mixture along with cardamom cloves and camphor. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes and then top it with fried cashews and raisins. Yes, your easy and delicious Sakkara Pongal is ready to serve for your special occasion. Easy, right?
There are many versions to this sweet Pongal, as every home their own way of making it. Some South Indian homes also add saffron mixed with milk to their Pongal, which gives it a delectable flavour. If you want to add milk in this recipe, add the saffron dissolved milk while adding cardamom. Cook till the milk comes to boil and then top it with fried dry fruits.
So try this recipe of Sakkarai Pongal for your festivals and special occasions, or let me know how you like to make it and may be next time I can try your recipe too.
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How to make Sakkarai Pogal Step by Step
Wash the rice and keep aside. Add 1 tbsp ghee in a pressure pan.
Add the moong dal and fry till slightly browned.
Now add 3 cups of water and washed rice. Cook till the rice and dal is done. ( I cooked for 1 whistle on heat heat and then reduced the heat on low and cooked for 2 more whistles ). Meanwhile, add jaggery and 1 cup water in a pan.
Cook till jaggery is dissolved and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Strain the mixture.
When the dal and rice is done, open the pressure pan. Add the jaggery mixture, cardamom, cloves and camphor. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the remaining ghee in a pan and heat.
Fry the cashew nuts till they are browned. Add them in the pongal. Fry the raisins till they swell up. Add the raisins and the ghee in the pongal. Mix well. Serve hot.
Sakkarai Pongal Recipe
Sakkarai Pongal
Sakkarai Pongal is a sweet version of Pongal made specially for the festival of Sankranti.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Short Grain Rice I used Sona Masuri
- 3 tbsp Dhuli Moong Dal
- 3/4 cup Jaggery Crushed
- 4 cups Water
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 12-15 Raisins
- 8-10 cashew Nuts
- 2 Cardamom Crushed
- 2 Cloves Crushed
- 1 pinch Edible Camphor Optional
Instructions
Wash the rice and keep aside.
Add 1 tbsp ghee in a pressure pan.
Add the moong dal and fry till slightly browned.
Now add 3 cups of water and washed rice.
Cook till the rice and dal is done. ( I cooked for 1 whistle on heat heat and then reduced the heat on low and cooked for 2 more whistles ).
Meanwhile, add jaggery and 1 cup water in a pan.
Cook till jaggery is dissolved and the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
Strain the mixture.
When the dal and rice is done, open the pressure pan.
Add the jaggery mixture, cardamom, cloves and camphor.
Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the remaining ghee in a pan and heat.
Fry the cashew nuts till they are browned.
Add them in the pongal.
Fry the raisins till they swell up.
Add the raisins and the ghee in the pongal.
Mix well.
Serve hot.
Are you making this recipe? I LOVE to see your creations so snap a photo and tag Whiskaffair on Instagram with the hashtag #Whiskaffair and please give a star rating below ★. You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for more such easy recipes.
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