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A traditional South Indian sweet made with rice, lentils, and jaggery. This creamy, fragrant pudding is a staple during festivals like Pongal and is often offered as a temple prasad. Rich with ghee and studded with cashews.
Prepare Rice and Dal
Cook the Mixture
Prepare Jaggery Syrup
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A traditional South Indian sweet made with rice, lentils, and jaggery. This creamy, fragrant pudding is a staple during festivals like Pongal and is often offered as a temple prasad. Rich with ghee and studded with cashews.
This south_indian recipe takes 40 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 465.18 calories per serving with 5.94g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for dessert or snack or breakfast.
Combine and Finish Pongal
Temper and Garnish
Replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of full-fat milk when cooking the rice and dal for a richer, creamier texture.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of freshly grated coconut along with the jaggery syrup for added flavor and texture.
Soak a few strands of saffron in 1 tablespoon of warm milk and add it at the end for a beautiful color and aroma.
In addition to cashews, you can add fried almonds or pistachios for extra crunch and nutrition.
The combination of rice, dal, and jaggery provides a quick and sustained release of energy, making it a traditional food for festivals and celebrations.
Jaggery is a natural, unrefined sweetener that contains iron and other essential minerals, which can help in maintaining healthy iron levels.
Moong dal is known to be light on the stomach and easy to digest. The addition of ghee can also aid in digestion and support gut health.
Sakkarai Pongal is a traditional sweet, rich in carbohydrates and natural sugars from jaggery. While jaggery provides more minerals than refined sugar and ghee offers healthy fats, it is a calorie-dense dish. It's best enjoyed in moderation as a festive treat.
A single serving of Sakkarai Pongal (approximately 1 cup or 170g) contains around 450-550 calories, depending on the exact amounts of jaggery and ghee used.
Yes, you can. Cook the washed rice and dal in a heavy-bottomed pot with 4-5 cups of water. Cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until the mixture is completely soft and mushy.
This usually happens if the jaggery syrup is overcooked or if the pongal is cooked for too long after adding the syrup. To avoid this, only heat the jaggery until it dissolves, do not boil it. After adding the syrup to the rice-dal mash, simmer for just 5-7 minutes until it thickens.
While you can substitute an equal amount of sugar, it will significantly change the dish. Jaggery provides the traditional earthy flavor, dark color, and distinct aroma that is characteristic of authentic Sakkarai Pongal.