Chakarai pongal or chakkara pongali , Sweet pongal is generally prepared in temples as a prasadam, (an offering made to a deity). This type of pongal is made during the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu and during Sankranthi festival in Andhra Pradesh.
The two varieties of pongal are chakarai pongal, which is sweet, and venn pongal, which is made from clarified butter. The word pongal generally refers to spicy venn pongal and is a common breakfast food. Chakarai pongal is made during the Pongal festival.
RAW RICE / PACHARISI
Raw rice is added for best texture and taste. It has more starch content which is best for making sweet pongal.
YELLOW MOONG DAL / PASI PARUPPU
Moong dal is roasted and added in the pongal for better taste.
Ingredients
Raw Rice / Pacharisi – 1 cup
Yellow Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu – ¼ cup
Milk – 1 cup
Jaggery / Sarkarai / Vellam – 2 cup or to taste grated
Cashews –1/2 cup or 3 tblspn
Sultanas / Kishmish – 1/4 cup or 3 tblspn
Cardamom Powder / Yelakai – 1 tsp or 5 pods
Ginger powder - 1 tsp
Edible Campor - 1 pinch
Ghee – ¼ cup
Coconut pieces – ½ cup optional
Water as needed
Method of Preparation
Pick the rice and moong dal first to get rid of stones if any.
Rinse both the roasted rice and moong dal a couple of times with water.
Soak both rice and moong dal in enough drinking water for 15- 20 minutes or more if time permits.
Drain well and then add them in a pressure cooker.
Heat a pressure cooker and add 1 tbspn of ghee. Then add both moong lentils and raw rice.
On a low flame stirring often roast both the rice and moong lentils, till they become aromatic.
You only need to roast till the moong lentils become aromatic. No need to brown them.
Pour 4 cups water. The amount of water you can add depends on the consistency you prefer and on the quality of moong dal.
Pressure cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles.
Let the pressure settle down on its own in the cooker.
Then remove the lid to check the doneness and consistency of the rice and lentils.
If you see a separate texture like that of a pulao, then add ½ to 1 cup hot water and mix very well.
Both the rice and the moong dal should be cooked very well and look mushy. With a spoon, slightly mash the cooked rice and moong lentils. If cooked well, then cover with the lid and keep aside. The consistency of the cooked rice and lentils is like a khichdi.
Meanwhile when the rice is cooking, pour 1 cup of milk.l in a pressure cooker. Bring this to boil. When the milk starts to boil, reduce the flame and let it boil for 3-4 minutes.
Now chop the jaggery. You should get about 2 cups chopped or grated jaggery. This much amount of jaggery makes the pongal just sweet.
Now take a heavy bottom pan and add 2 cups of jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. Slowly bring this to boil. Keep stirring. When the jaggery is dissolved and the mixture comes to rolling boil. Do stir and break the jaggery chunks or pieces with a spatula so that they melt easily. On a low to medium flame, heat this jaggery solution until the jaggery melts completely.
Turn off the flame and leave for 2-3 minutes. Carefully, strain the mixture and add this to rice when required in the recipe.
You will get an amber colored syrup when all the jaggery is melted, if you have used dark jaggery. If you have light colored jaggery, then the color will be pale yellow to yellow.
Straining the jaggery syrup through a seive, directly add it in the cooked rice+lentils mixture. If using jaggery powder, you can add directly.
Now add the cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and a pinch of edible camphor.
Mix everything very well. Pongal will thicken as it cools. So if the mixture looks thick, then you can add ¼ to ⅓ cup hot water or hot milk.
Heat 5 tablespoons ghee. You can add less ghee if you want.
Add finely chopped coconut pieces. Then you add 12 to 15 cashews. Saute the cashews till they become light golden.
Then add 1 tablespoons raisins. Begin to stir and fry.
Stirring often fry until the raisins swell and become plump.
Then immediately remove the pan from the stovetop and add the fried cashews, raisins and ghee to the cooked rice and lentils.
Mix thorughly.
Offer to the Goddess or you can serve sweet pongal hot or warm to your family members.
NOTES
You could cook the rice and dal in water and add a cup of thick milk later while adding jaggery water.
You can definitely add milk in place of water in this recipe. Milk will make the chakkara pongal slightly richer and creamier.
Drizzle some pure ghee over the finished pongal for more taste and flavour.
A little dash of edible camphor can be added for taste.
Wash and soak rice and moong dal in enough drinking water for 15-20 minutes or more if time permits.
Cardamom is an essential spice. But you can omit dry ginger powder and edible camphor.
You can make sakkarai pongal with cracked wheat (dalia), millets or oats.
