Karthigai Pori Recipe

Karthigai Pori is a simple and traditional sweet snack we mostly make for Karthigai Deepam festival. It is made by mixing nel pori with a light jaggery syrup along with small bits of coconut and some fried gram dal. This snack has a mild sweetness and a nice chewy feel that suits well for festival evenings.

The flavors are not too heavy, so even if you eat a little extra it doesn't feel tiring. Many people love this simple taste and flavor, this homemade version always tastes better. The mix of jaggery and pori gives a soft crunch that feels quite comforting when eaten fresh.

Jump to:

• About Karthigai Pori
• Karthigai Pori Ingredients
• How to make Karthigai Pori Step by Step
• Expert Tips
• Serving and Storage
• FAQS
• 📖 Recipe Card

About Karthigai Pori

Karthigai Pori is a quick sweet which you can make at home with just few simple things. Also puffed rice stays crisp even after mixing it with the jaggery syrup, so it feels very light when you eat it. The jaggery holds the pori together and gives sweetness. The fried gram dal and coconut bits give little crunchy bites in between.

This dish is usually made for Karthigai festival in many South Indian homes. It does not have a strong flavor but has a warm, homely taste that comes only from jaggery and fresh coconut. Many people make two versions of this, one with pori left loose and another shaped into small balls. Both taste almost same, just the texture changes little.

You also get different pori varieties in stores, but for this dish nel pori gives a better taste and holds the syrup properly. Some even add peanuts, dry ginger or little more cardamom for extra smell. The recipe stays simple and easy to adjust depending on what you like, and it still comes out good.

I usually make this in small batches at home because it stays fresh for a few days and is easy to snack in evenings. Kids also like it since the sweetness is not overpowering.

Similar Recipes

• Karupatti pori urundai
• Chocolate pori urundai
• Karthigai aval pori
• Nel pori urundai
• More karthigai deepam recipes

Karthigai Pori Ingredients

• Nel pori - I used fresh nel pori because it gives a nice light crunch and holds the jaggery syrup well.
• Jaggery - I used jaggery for making the syrup, it gives a soft sweetness and nice color. You can use the lighter jaggery also if you want a pale shade.
• Water - I have used a small amount of water only to dissolve the jaggery. Adding more water will make it take long time to thicken.
• Cardamom powder - I added this for a mild sweet smell which suits very well with pori. You can skip it if you don't like it.
• Dry ginger powder - I use a tiny pinch as it gives a warm taste and balances the sweetness. You can avoid if you don't like it.
• Fried gram dal - I have added fried gram for extra crunch here and there. You can add peanuts if you want more bite.
• Coconut - I used chopped coconut bits and fried them lightly for a nice aroma. You can add fresh coconut also but it will not stay fresh for long.
• Ghee - I fried the coconut bits in little ghee for flavor. You can use coconut oil also but ghee gives better smell.

How to make Karthigai Pori Step by Step

1.Remove the nel skin (the husk) from the pori and make it ready

2.Fry coconut bits in ghee till golden, add this and fried gram dal to nel pori. Mix well and Set aside for later use.

3.Measure jaggery and add it in a pan, add water and dissolve it well.

4.Heat it up for 2 minutes just for the jaggery to get dissolved. Strain to remove impurities.

5.Heat it up again and keep cooking, add elachi powder. Consistency check : Keep a separate plate ready filled with little water. Take a drop of jaggery syrup and put it in water, it should stand firm and not dissolve as shown below. This is enough no need to check rolling and all.

6.When this consistency is reached, add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, pori and switch off. Mix well so that the syrup coats the pori evenly. Let the mixture cool down then later spread in a plate.

Store in airtight container and enjoy! In summary this karthigai is easy to make and tastes so delicious hence you can make as snack anytime.

Expert Tips

• Jaggery consistency - I usually check the syrup by dropping a little in water, it should stay firm. This level is enough for coating the pori well.
• Do not add extra water - I have seen that adding more water makes the syrup take long time to thicken, so keep it minimal.
• Mix quickly - I usually add the pori as soon as the syrup reaches the right stage because it coats better when still hot.
• Use a wide pan - I have used a wide pan as it makes mixing easier and the pori does not break.
• Coconut freshness - I usually fry the coconut bits well so that they stay fresh longer and do not release moisture later.

Serving and Storage

Serve this as a snack or even as a small sweet after your meal. It goes well with tea also if you like something mild and sweet in the evening time.

Store leftovers in a airtight box after it cools down fully. It stays good for almost three to four days in room temperature.

FAQS

1.Can I make this with regular pori?

You can use regular pori, but nel pori gives better crunch and flavor for this dish.

2.Can I skip coconut bits?

Yes, you can skip it or replace with peanuts if you want more crunch.

3.My pori turned soft, what went wrong?

The syrup might have cooked too long or the pori was not fresh. Using fresh pori always gives better result.

4.Can I shape them into balls?

Yes, but the syrup needs to reach little stronger stage. Follow the same recipe and shape while it is still warm.

5.How long does it stay good?

It stays good for few days in airtight container, but finish early if you used fresh coconut.

If you have any more questions on making of this Karthigai Pori do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com
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