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Chakkara Pongal/Sweet Pongal served in banana leaf with a cup of ghee on the side

Chakkara Pongal | Sweet Pongal

Gayathri Vijayakumar
Chakkara Pongal / Sweet Pongal is a delicious South Indian sweet made especially to celebrate Pongal - the Harvest Festival of Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, Sweet Pongal is made using rice, moong dal, jaggery, ghee, dry fruits and flavoured with cardamom powder.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Millet / Raw Rice Use any millet variety or rice
  • 1/4 cup Yellow Moong Dal
  • 2 cups Jaggery
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
  • 4 tbsp Ghee
  • 15 Cashewnuts
  • 2 tbsp Raisins Optional

Instructions
 

To make Sweet Pongal in Instant Pot

  • Wash the rice or millet in enough water a couple of times. Drain the water and keep the millet ready.
  • In an Instant Pot, press the SAUTE button. Add a tablespoon of ghee to the pot. Add cashew nuts and roast once the pot gets hot until they turn golden brown. Then add raisins and fry them till plump. Remove and keep aside.
  • Add moong dal and roast for less than a minute until the dal turns light brown. Also, a nice aroma would come. Make sure you don't roast till dal turns brown.
  • Next, add the rice or millet to the Instant Pot. Add milk & water. Give a good mix.
  • Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set the timer to 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
  • Meanwhile, add a cup of boiling water to the jaggery. Make sure the jaggery is completely melted.
  • Now, open the lid and mash the millet/rice dal mixture. It should be mushy in texture. On Saute mode, Strain the melted jaggery into the millet dal mixture.
  • Finally, add the roasted nuts ,ghee and cardamom powder. Give a good mix until everything is combined together.

To make Sweet Pongal In Stovetop Pressure Cooker

  • Wash the millet/raw rice in enough water.
  • Dry roast the moong dal over medium heat for a few minutes. Make sure the colour of the dal doesn't change. Once you get the nice aroma of the dal, drain the soaked water and add the millet.
  • Now, add water & milk. Cover and let it cook for 5 whistles on medium heat.
  • In another pan,  add ghee. Once it melts, add cashews and roast till golden brown. Now, add the raisins and fry till it becomes plump. Remove and keep aside.
  • Now, in the same pan, add powdered jaggery, enough water to cover it and melt the jaggery. Strain the jaggery syrup to collect any impurities.
  • Open the cooker once the pressure is released. Mash the millet dal mixture till it's mushy. Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked millet and dal and mix well. Finally, mix well with cardamom powder, roasted nuts, and enough ghee. Cook for just a few minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot.

Notes

If you feel the texture is too loose, don't worry. Sweet Pongal thickens as it cools. If the texture is thick, add hot water and make it a little loose. Traditionally, that is how it is supposed to be. Serve hot.
If your rice/dal takes a long time to cook, wash and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Soaking helps in cooking the rice and dal easier. 
Use any millet of your choice or Rice to make the traditional Sweet Pongal.
I always use 1:4 Moong Dal to Rice/Millet. But, you can adjust according to your preference.
The amount of jaggery used varies on the type of jaggery. Each jaggery has its level of sweetness. So, taste your jaggery and add accordingly. Also, the Colour of the Pongal depends on the colour of the jaggery.
Make sure the rice and dal are cooked well. The consistency should be mushy. 
Temple-style Pongal uses a bit of edible camphor while tempering in ghee. If available, do use it. 
 
 
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