Kalkandu Pongal also called as Kalkandu Bath is a delicious sweet pongal made using rice, moong dal and kalkandu or sugar candy as sweetener instead of jaggery. Kalkandu Pongal is a good alternative to kesari in a breakfast menu and very easy to cook in large batches for parties & functions. Learn to make Kalkandu Pongal with step by step pictures and video.
Kalkandu pongal – The name itself makes my mouth water.I love anything sweet and sakkarai pongal is my fav so was bowled out by the idea of making pongal using sugar candy(kalkandu) and it turned out very delicious. The recipe is almost same as milk pongal excluding sugar candy. This is our family favorite especially with kids.
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About Kalkandu Pongal
‘Kalkandu’ in tamil means sugar candy and ‘Pongal’ is sweet rice pudding so Kalkandu Pongal translates to sweet rice pudding with sugar candy. It is one of the traditional recipes that can be made for festivals like pongal, navaratri and fasting days.
Here are the easy steps to make kalkandu pongal:
- Cook rice and dal : Roast dal first then cook it along with rice with enough water, milk. Cook until mushy. Mash well and set aside.
- Add sugar candy : add sugar candy along with remaining milk, mash it well and set aside.
- Fry nuts in ghee : Fry nuts and raisins in ghee and add it.
- Add milk : Add remaining milk, ghee, cardamom powder.
- Mix well : Add more ghee and mix well.
Kalkandu Pongal Video
Similar Recipes
- Sweet pongal recipe with milk
- Millet sweet pongal
- Sweet pongal made in pot
- Poha sweet pongal
- Kalkandu pongal
Kalkandu Pongal Ingredients
- Rice : Use raw rice for making Pongal. At stores it is available as Pongal Raw Rice / Pongal Pacharisi.
- Dal : Use moong dal half the quantity as that of rice.
- Sugar Candy: Sugar candy or karkandu is used as sweetener here.
- Milk : Use full cream milk if possible else you can use regular toned milk.
- Flavors : Use bountiful cashews, raisins, cardamom powder and ghee for Pongal.
How to make Kalkandu Pongal Step by Step
1.To begin with : rinse raw rice well drain water and set aside. Rinse moong dal using a strainer drain water and add it to pressure cooker. Dry roast for few mins until aroma comes, no color change needed. Add rice to it.
2.Add 1/2 cup milk and 1 and 1/2 cups water to it. Mix well. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles in medium flame.
3.Let pressure release by itself. Once pressure releases, open and switch it on. Mash it well then add sugar candy.
4.After that add remaining 1/2 cup milk. Mix it well. The mixture turns goey like this. Cook for 2 minutes.To a tadka pan add 2 tablespoon ghee heat it up add cashews fry until slightly golden then add raisins fry until it bubbles up. Switch off.
5.Next add fried cashews, raisins to the pongal. Add remaining 2 tablespoon ghee, cardamom powder a pinch of salt. Mix well. Cook for a minute and switch off.
Finally , Serve hot with a generous serving of ghee, heaven I say!
Expert Tips
- You can powder sugar candy if you want but it easily dissolves when heated itself as you can see here.
- The sweetness was apt with 1/2 cup but if you prefer you can add up to 3/4 cup sugar candy.
- Though adding milk is optional, but sure gives a richness and creaminess to the pongal.
- Make sure kalkandu pongal is goey while switching as it thickens with time.
- I used boiled, cooled milk. You can use raw milk too as it boils while cooking.
- You can skip milk and add water instead.
- If you like saffron flavor soak saffron in milk and add it.
- You can add little grated coconut too.
- You can add clove powder for more flavor. Instead add 2 cloves while frying cashews, raisins and add it.
- I used pressure cooker to make it quick. You can even use a brass pot like here.
Serving and Storage
Generally kalkandu pongal keeps well for 2 days in room temperature itself if milk is not added. But as this version is with milk, I would suggest to store it in fridge after a day. No recommendation for freezing.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kalkandu Pongal Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw rice
- 2 tablespoon moong dal
- 1/2 cup kalkandu sugar candy
- 1 cup milk
- 1 and 1/2 cups water
- 4 tablespoon ghee
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 2 tablespoon cashews broken
Instructions
- To begin with : rinse raw rice well drain water and set aside. Rinse moong dal using a strainer drain water and add it to pressure cooker. Dry roast for few mins until aroma comes, no color change needed. Add rice to it.
- Add 1/2 cup milk and 1 and 1/2 cups water to it. Mix well. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles in medium flame.
- Let pressure release by itself. Once pressure releases, open and switch it on. Mash it well then add sugar candy.
- After that add remaining 1/2 cup milk. Mix it well. The mixture turns goey like this. Cook for 2 minutes.To a tadka pan add 2 tablespoon ghee heat it up add cashews fry until slightly golden then add raisins fry until it bubbles up. Switch off.
- Next add fried cashews, raisins to the pongal. Add remaining 2 tablespoon ghee, cardamom powder a pinch of salt. Mix well. Cook for a minute and switch off.
- Finally , Serve hot with a generous serving of ghee, heaven I say!
Preethi Kannan
Looks yummy !! Nice photograph !!
Uma Ramanujam
I am just tasting this pongal as prasadam which I got from nearby temple. Tasting heaven. We also prepare in the same way but won't add milk to it. Looks superb.
Arthy Suman
Awesome I love kalkandu pongal….
Laavanya
For some reason kalkandu pongal has always fascinated me… looks so tempting.
Srimathi
I see so many posts on kalkandu bath, yours looks delicious.
runnergirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com
This sweet has such a lovely rich glaze on it! love it
runnergirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com
This sweet has such a lovely rich glaze on it.. delicious!
divya
Delicious !! Drooling clicks!!
Sangeetha
So Rich and delicious pongal…too tempting pics Sharmi!
Vanamala Hebbar
very nice dish…
Jayanthi Karthikeyan
Yummy Pongal…
Priya
Even am preparing this pongal for this year's pongal celebration,but mine is going to be bit healthy as am using brown rice else its quite like yours Sharmi.
Meena Selvakumaran
Tempting clicks.Will try for this pongal.
sowmya
I am going to try this today. It is mouth watering and can't resist myself.
Nabanita Das
A festive Authentic Dish… sweet pongal looks yumm…
Jeyashrisuresh
Super tempting kalkandu pongal. My mil makes this one. Neat clicks
Peggy G.
This looks like a great sweet treat =)
Nagashree
First time here, came from Priya's blog. Happy Pongal to you & yours. You have a beautiful blog and will come back again to explore.
Prathima Rao
Divine recipe!!!Nice pic too Sharmi 🙂
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Lalitha Ranjith
hi sharmili it is delicious and easy method to prepare also it saves time!lalitha.
Leena
Happy sankranti..pongal looks very festive…lovely clicks..
Nithya
Wow.. this looks way tempting and love this one especially since it breaks the monotony from the usual pongal that we make.
ShravsCookBookBlog
yummy pongal…my MIL says sugar candy decreases heat generated in the body and one must chew during mouth ulcers….
ponmozhi
really good..tmr gonna for make it perumal thaligai…
shivraj koman
Thanks U made my pongal day! 🙂 🙂 Happy Pongal!
shivraj koman
Thanks, you made my Pongal Day!!!! Came out soooo good 🙂 🙂 Happy Pongal 🙂 🙂
Rajeswari Nagapathy
whether we have to add boiled milk or plain milk
SHARMILEE J
Yes it is boiled milk…..
Ambika
Wow yummy it looks
Unknown
What type of rice did u add? Can we use any type of raw rice?
SHARMILEE J
S it is pongal pacharisi we call in tamil