Sweet Pongal is a delicious, yummy dish made by cooking rice & moong dal in jaggery syrup, milk, water and then flavoured with ghee and cashews. Sweet Pongal is also called Sakkarai Pongal commonly made during Pongal Festival. How to make Sweet Pongal is explained in this post with step by step pictures and video.
Sakkarai Pongal is made along with Paal Pongal or Ven Pongal & Special 5 Vegetable Kuzhambu on Pongal festival. Sakkarai Pongal is a sweet treat for the family and is shared with family & friends on the festival day.
About Sweet Pongal
Pongal means overflowing or bubbling up by boiling and Sakkarai or Chakkara means jaggery / country sugar in Tamil. Water and milk is boiled and then raw rice, jaggery, dal, dry fruits, ghee are added to make Sakkarai Pongal.
Sakkarai Pongal is made traditionally during Pongal festival or Makar Sankaranti as the first meal with the first harvested rice of the year. Pongal is made in the east direction facing Sun which symbolizes thanks giving & dedication of the first meal from the harvest to Sun God for a bountiful harvest.
The significance of using raw rice instead of boiled rice for making Pongal is that first cooking with the harvest is celebrated & dedicated to Sun God.
Sakkarai Pongal Ingredients
- Rice : Use raw rice for making Pongal. At stores it is available as Pongal Raw Rice / PongalPacharisi.
- Dal : Use moong dal half the quantity as that of rice.
- Jaggery: If you have access get paaguvellam or achuvellam which is slightly darker, else you can use regular rectangular mold jaggery.
- Milk : The temple style sweet pongal doesn’t use milk however we add milk to give it a rich taste. Use full cream milk if possible else you can use regular toned milk.
- Flavours : Use bountiful cashews, raisins, cardamom powder and ghee for Pongal.
Sweet Pongal – 2 methods
Traditionally Pongal is slow cooked in pots with firewood and as times changed we are cooking in pressure cooker nowadays. I have presented the cooking of Sweet Pongal here in both these methods.
1. Sweet pongal – Pressure cooker method: Cooking Pongal in pressure cooker is easy, convenient and less time consuming.
2. Sakkarai pongal – Traditional pot method: Traditionally sakkarai pongal is made in bronze pot as shared here.
Other recipes for Pongal
Pongal Kulambu
Paal Pongal | Milk Pongal
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Sweet Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw rice
- 1/4 cup moong dal
- 3 cups water
- 10 nos whole cashews broken
- 2 nos cardamom
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 3/4 heaped cup jaggery
- 1/3 cup water for jaggery syrup
- 1 tiny pinch edible camphor
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp ghee
With milk version:
- 1/2 cup raw rice
- 3 tbsp moong dal
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup jaggery
- 1/4 cup water for jaggery syrup
- a small pinch cardamom powder
- 5 strands saffron
- 2 to 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp cashews broken
- 1 tbsp raisins
Instructions
- Crush cardamom and edible camphor together and set aside. Dry roast moong dal until nice aroma comes.
- Add water to jaggery and heat it up for few mins until jaggery melts completely.
- Rinse rice and dal well and add it to pressure cooker.
- Measure and add water to it.
- Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. Let the pressure release by itself.
- Once pressure releases, open and mash it well.
- Strain and add jaggery syrup to it.
- The syrup should be slightly thick but no consistency needs to be checked.
- Mix well and let it boil in sim to thicken.
- Add ghee. Mix well and cook in low flame.
- Add cardamom powder and edible camphor.
- Heat ghee in a pan – add cashews first fry until golden then add raisins and let it bubble up. Fry until golden brown.
- Add it to pongal, mix well. Switch off. Sweet pongal ready!
Video
Notes
- I used paagu velam to get the dark brown color. You can use normal jaggery too.
- Roasting dal gives good flavour so don’t skip this step.
- Add good quality aromatic ghee for best flavour and taste.
- Pressure cooking time of rice depends on the variety of rice so adjust accordingly. New rice needs little lesser water whereas old rice requires more.
- Pongal gets thicker in consistency after cooling down so switch off accordingly. If it gets dry, while serving add little ghee and milk.
- If the pongal is thick while switching off then it will become very dry after cooling down therefore switch off when it is little goey itself.
- Edible camphor is the main ingredient which gives it a temple taste so don’t skip it.
How to make Sweet Pongal
Roasting rice and moong dal
1.Crush cardamom and edible camphor together and set aside. Dry roast moong dal until nice aroma comes.
Preparing jaggery syrup
2.Add water to jaggery and heat it up for few mins until jaggery melts completely.
Cook rice and dal
3.Rinse rice and dal well and add it to pressure cooker.
3.Measure and add water to it.
4.Pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame. Let the pressure release by itself.
5.Once pressure releases, open and mash it well.Strain and add jaggery syrup.
Add jaggery syrup to rice, dal
6.Strain and add jaggery syrup to it.
7.The syrup should be slightly thick but no consistency needs to be checked.
8.Mix well and let it boil in sim to thicken. Of adding milk add 1/2 cup milk at this stage
Add flavouring
9.Add ghee. Mix well and cook in low flame.
10.Add cardamom powder and edible camphor.
Frying nuts and raisins
11.Heat ghee in a pan – add cashews first fry until golden then add raisins and let it bubble up.Fry until golden brown.
Making sweet pongal
12.Add it to pongal, mix well.Switch off. Sweet pongal ready!
Sakkarai Pongal in Pot
Sakkarai pongal is traditionally made in pot. Sakkarai pongal is not only made for Pongal festival but can be made for various other small occasions at home. We make sweet pongal or sakkarai pongal for aadi velli, auspicious days, or even for small pooja at home.
Sakkarai Pongal is made traditionally on Pongal festival or Mahar Sankaranthi with the first harvested rice of the year and offered as a thanks giving dish to Sun God before consuming.
Ingredients
1 cup raw rice
1/4 cup moong dal
7 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp cashews halved
1 tbsp raisins
2 nos cardamom
4 tbsp ghee
FOR JAGGERY SYRUP:
1 cup jaggery heaped
1/2 cup water
Step by step Sakkarai Pongal
- Add water to jaggery.
2.Let it dissolve completely then set aside.
3.Add milk to a traditional bronze pot.
4.Add water to it.
5.Let it boil.
6.Keep in medium high.Let it overflow.
7.Stir well.
8.Rinse rice, dal and add it to the pot.
9.Cook in medium high until rice is 3/4th cooked and water is almost absorbed.
10.Now strain and add jaggery syrup.
11.Mix well and cook until it becomes thick.Now add ghee fried cashews,raisins.
12.Heat ghee in tadka pan – fry cashews then add raisins fry until golden.
13.Add ghee fried nuts, raisins, remaining 3 tbsp ghee and cardamom powder. Mix well , cook for a minute then switch off. When it cools down it gets thick so switch off when it is still goey.
Expert Tips
- Always use less water for making jaggery syrup, just half the measure of jaggery would be just right.
- Use paagu vellam or dark colored jaggery for best results, it enahnces the taste and color of the pongal.
- Make sure to switch it off when it is still goey as it thickens with time.
- Always serve hot with a dollop of ghee.
- Edible camphor can be skipped if you don’t have it but it gives a divine taste just like in temples.
Sakkarai Pongal – Serving & Storage Variations
Tastes great when consumed hot! Pongal tends to become solid as the starch is not drained. So add little water or milk and heat it in stovetop or microwave when you are consuming after say 3-4 Hrs.
Generally sweet pongal keeps well for 2 days in room temperature. However if refrigerated you can consume next day.
Sweet Pongal Variations
- Add milk too for a richer taste.
- If you like saffron flavour soak saffron in milk and add it.
- You can add jaggery as such too in powdered form (without making it as syrup). Make sure it is free from impurities.
- You can replace jaggery with sugar or sugar candy (kalkandu) or brown sugar or karupatti or sugar cane juice.
- You can add little grated coconut too.
- You can add clove powder for more flavour.
- You can use, Quinoa, Sooji / Rava, Millet, Poha, Wheat Ravaas an alternative or when you want to experiment sweet pongal with different ingredients.
Sakkarai Pongal FAQs
1.What is Sakkarai Pongal?
Sweet Pongal is a delicious, yummy rice meal made by cooking rice &moong dal in jaggery syrup, milk, water and then flavoured with ghee and cashews.
2.How to make Sweet Pongal?
- Add jaggery and water to a pan, boil till jaggery is dissolved completely.
- Dry roast moong dal and add it to rice.
- Add water and pressure cook for 5 whistles in low medium flame.Let the pressure release by itself.
- Strain and add jaggery syrup. Mix well and let it boil in sim to thicken.
- Add cardamom powder and dry fruits sauteed in ghee.
- Serve hot with ghee drizzled.
3.Can I make jaggery syrup the previous night and store in fridge?
Yes very well – That saves quite some time on the festival day!
4.I do not have raw rice – Can I cook with boiled rice or brown rice?
Raw rice is preferred when it is offered as Neivaidhyam. However you can cook Sweet Pongal with all types of rice given that taste may slightly vary based on the type of rice. For Brown rice cook extra for 20-30 minutes.
5.At what step I need to add milk and will milk get curdled?
In traditional method, milk is boiled with water and then rice, dal & other ingredients are added. In the pressure cook method, add boiled milk before jaggery syrup is added.
6.Can I add coconut to Pongal, edible camphor?
Yes very much – Add grated coconuts, edible camphor and other flavours along with dry fruits.
7.What is the ratio of rice to dal? Can I use toor dal?
Use half the quantity of moong dal to the amount of rice! Do not use toor dal and if you do not have mong dal, you can skip it.
8.Why does rice gets stuck to pot?
You have to stir well and quite often to prevent a layer of rice getting stuck to pot.
AparnaRajeshkumar
the last one photo is just awesome ! mittu hand know lovely bangles !
Nupur
Did you read my mind last night Sharmi ??? I was actually thinking to look for an Authentic Pongal recipe. I loved it during my visit to Bangalore last year and I was looking for an opportunity to cook it myself.. Bookmarked !!
P.S. thanks for posting it just on time 😉
Laxmi
lovely clicks.. i use vengalapanai too.. 🙂
Feng Shui
very nice n healthy recipe of sweet pongal
Gajus Kitchen
Looks awesome and delicious.Lovely clicks
Divya Shivaraman
Loved that final pic of your daughter's hand with bangles…lovely recipe
Sangeetha M
wow…sakkarai pongal looks so divine! mittu's hand with colorful bangles looks lovely! beautiful clicks sharmi
Nandita SS
Looks awesome. Great photographs as well 🙂
Vaishnavi
Mittu's bangle hand pic with pongal is just awesome! Sharmi since its mango season, please try n post aam paana…it will be nice addition to ur space. We can also learn from u
Sharmilee! :)
Sure Vaishnavi…I will soon post it 🙂
revathi
Lovely lovely pics..:) Awesome recipe..
Reva
JEYASHRI SURESH
Delicious sakkarai pongal, neat clicks
Ms.Chitchat
Beautiful recipe alongwith amazing clicks, loved the last click, perfect.
Dipti Joshi
Lovely clicks! It is great to know Authentic Pongal recipe!
Saranya Balaji
very well explained and neat presentation…loved ur all clicks especially 3rd click so traditional…
Raks anand
wonderful recipe and cute clicks with mittus hands
Arthy Suman
can pongal be nicer than this???
BAGIRATHI DEVI
Very nice
happu honey
very useful really good information thanks for posting such a good information it will hepls the people a lot keep it up , Regards,
chakkara pongal recipe
Nasreen Basu
delicious ! I will defiantly try it thanks to post such a testy recipe and keep posting such delicious recipes , Regards, sakkarai pongal recipe
Atmanandam Mission Trust
beautiful photos- thank you for such a detailed recipe and sharing this with us.
blessings!
Deepa Kaliraj
Thanks sharmi… Really we waited for your pongal recipe… It's awesome
Sharmi, again we're not able to search. It's showing no results. Plz help us to search our favorite recipes
Ramona D'Souza
I knew you would have the receipe Sharmilee! Thanks. I love this pongal. I'm excited, gonna give it a try…
Pravina Parikh
Lovely pictures. Brought back many memories.
priya
Pls mention (1 cup = how many ml ) in all recipes which is very much useful for beginners n readers new to this blog…
SHARMILEE J
My 1 cup measures 250 ml
Unknown
Hi. I tried ur veg kurma recipe. Came out really good.
srilalitha maheshwaran
how did u make in pongal paanai… Cause i need to do it in paanai too.. as per custom..
SHARMILEE J
We usually draw kolam and tie fresh manjal(turmeric) along with leaves as shown in the pic
sharmeela
1/2
Cup heaped , u have given for rice.
What does it actually means?
SHARMILEE J
It means little more than 1/2 cup
Radhika vel
Can I make vellam syrup the previous night and store in fridge?
Sharmilee J
Yes yes you can
Deepa GV
Tasty , easy
eyton shalom
here they dont sell pongal arisee….
should i use ponni pach arisee?
Sharmilee J
Raw rice is best for making pongal