Sakarai Pongal

Experience the heartwarming flavors of South India with Sakarai Pongal, a rich and festive dessert that’s the star of celebrations like Pongal and Thai New Year. This traditional delicacy combines creamy rice and yellow moong dal, slow-cooked to perfection and sweetened with caramel-like jaggery. Infused with the aromatic warmth of cardamom and enhanced by golden-fried cashews and plump raisins sizzled in ghee, each spoonful offers a symphony of textures and flavors. With the addition of milk for creaminess, this wholesome dish is perfect as a celebratory treat or a comforting indulgence. Simple to make and irresistibly delicious, Sakarai Pongal brings tradition and sweetness to your table.

Nutriscore Rating: 62/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rice
• 0.25 cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split Green Gram)
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 3 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• 10 count Cashew Nuts
• 15 count Raisins
• 0.5 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
• 4 cups Water
• 1 cup Milk

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the rice and moong dal together under running water until the water runs clear. Soak them for 10 minutes in water and then drain.

Step 2

In a heavy-bottomed pan or pressure cooker, add the soaked rice and moong dal along with 4 cups of water.

Step 3

If using a pressure cooker, cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame until the rice and dal are soft. If using a pot, cover and cook on medium flame until the ingredients are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.

Step 4

While the rice and dal cook, melt the jaggery with a few tablespoons of water in a small pan over medium heat to make a syrup. Stir until all the jaggery dissolves. Strain to remove any impurities and set aside.

Step 5

Once the rice and dal are cooked, adjust the consistency if it's too thick by adding a little hot water or milk.

Step 6

Mix in the jaggery syrup into the cooked rice and dal mixture. Stir well to combine.

Step 7

In a separate small pan, heat the ghee over medium flame. Fry the cashew nuts until golden brown and then add the raisins. Sauté until the raisins puff up, then pour all of this, including the ghee, over the pongal.

Step 8

Add the cardamom powder to the pongal and mix everything thoroughly.

Step 9

Let the sakarai pongal simmer for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the flavors meld together, then turn off the heat.

Step 10

Serve warm as a delightful dessert or special festival treat.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1728.3g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1962.4

Total Fat 55.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 31.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Cholesterol 131.0mg	0%
Sodium 742.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 347.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 5.9g	0%
Total Sugars 267.7g
Protein 27.3g	0%

Vitamin D 107.4IU	0%
Calcium 956.8mg	0%
Iron 21.5mg	0%
Potassium 2525.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 25.1%

Protein: 5.5%

Carbs: 69.4%