Sweet Pongal
This sweet pongal is a delicious, comforting rice and lentil porridge especially popular in winter months around the harvest festival of Pongal.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Large Saucepan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Medium Grain white Rice ex Sona Masoori
- ¼ cup Split Yellow(Moong) Lentils
- 6 cup Water
- 1 ½ - 2 cup Jaggery adjust according to sweetness required
- ½ cup + 4 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Halved Cashews roughly broken in to smaller pieces
- 2 tablespoon Dark or Golden Raisins
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 2 tablespoon Coconut Chips/ Shreds optional
- 1-2 pinches Paccha Karpoora(Edible Camphor) optional
Instructions
- Heat a pressure cooker base to medium low. Add 2 tablespoon of ghee to the cooker and add the rinsed rice and lentils. Saute for a few minutes until you can smell the toasted lentils.
- Now add 4 cups of water and cover with the pressure cooker lid. Ensure it is properly "sealed". Place the "weight" or pressure regulator on the valve and turn up the heat to medium. Once the whistle goes off 4 times, turn off the heat and let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes.
- Heat a patram, kadai or sauce pan to medium level. Pour 2 cups of water and add the jaggery. Once the jaggery has melted, pass this liquid through a sieve to remove any impurities or pieces that have not melted.
- With the stove still on, add this syrup back to the pan and add some of the ½ cup of ghee to it. Now add the cooked rice-lentil mixture. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps. Add the remaining ghee and cardamom. Mix well.
- In another small pan, add the other 2 tablespoon of ghee. Once it has melted, add the cashews, raisins and coconut chips. Saute until lighly golden brown.
- Top the pongal with this cashews, raisin and coconut mixture. Add a couple of pinches of paccha karpoora if using and mix again before serving hot.
Notes
- The nutritional facts provided are approximate values only and not absolute. These values will vary based on quantity, brands used and substitutions(if any) made.
- The dish can be made entirely vegan by replacing ghee with vegan butter. However the flavors will vary quite a bit from the original.