Sakkarai pongal is an authentic sweet prepared at the time of “Thai pongal” (Thai thirunaal). I have posted Sakkarai pongal recipe earlier and this one I prepared as per my cousin’s recipe which came out really well. Here comes the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup – Raw rice
• 2 1/2 tbsp – Split green gram / Paasi paruppu / Moong dhal
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup – Jaggery (grated,as needed)
• 1/2 cup – Milk
• 1/4 cup – Ghee (as needed)
• 10 nos – Cashew nuts
• 10 nos – Raisins
• 2 nos – Cardamom (crushed)

Preparation method:

1. Heat ghee in a pan, fry cashew nuts and raisins to a golden brown color, set aside.
2. Take a pressure cooker, add 1/4 tsp ghee and roast the a split green gram/moong dal. Then add washed rice along with 3 1/2 cup water and cook until well cooked.
3. Once rice and dhal mixtures is cooked, mash it nicely. Now add milk and once again mash it.
4. Add grated jaggery little by little and stir it continuously over medium heat. If you think your jaggery has impurities in it,then better melt the jaggery in a little water. Filter the impurities and then add this syrup to the pongal.
5. Add crushed cardamom along with ghee and cook until raw smell of jaggery goes off. Finally add fried cashew nuts and raisin along with ghee, mix well. Serve hot with ghee on top.

Notes:

• Adding milk in this recipe helps the pongal to stay soft for long time.
• You don’t need to soak rice and dhal in this recipe.