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Sarkkarai Pongal - Sweet Pongal - Prasadam Recipes

Sarkkarai Pongal - this is a quick and easy dish for prasadam. And this Sarkkarai Pongal has also been an absolute favourite prasadam for many of us. The taste of this Sarkkarai Pongal, depend on the quality of the jaggery we use. I usually prefer pagu vellam for pongal and payasam dishes. The colour and taste of this jaggery vary from place to place. Some jaggery are dark brown while others are yellow or orange coloured jaggery. In this recipe, I have used the dark brown jaggery and it tastes so good. My husband bought me this dark brown jaggery (Kottayam Vellam) from Nanguneri. Now let's see some important tips for perfect Sarkkarai Pongal.

Sarkkarai Pongal, Sweet Pongal - Prasadam recipes - Sarkkarai Pongal - this is a quick and easy dish for prasadam. And this Sarkkarai Pongal has also been an absolute favourite prasadam for many of us. The taste of this Sarkkarai Pongal, depend on the quality of the jaggery we use. I usually prefer pagu vellam for pongal and payasam dishes. The colour and taste of this jaggery vary from place to place. Some jaggery are dark brown while others are yellow or orange coloured jaggery. In this recipe, I have used the dark brown jaggery and it tastes so good.



Sarkkarai Pongal is prepared in two different methods. It's typically prepared by cooking the raw rice directly in the pot and then jaggery and other additional ingredients are added. To speed up the process, I have cooked the rice in the pressure cooker and then mixed with the jaggery syrup in a heavy bottomed kadai or a bronze pot.The standard amount of jaggery for 1 cup of rice is 2 cups of jaggery. If you reduce the amount of jaggery, the pongal may not be able to set properly.
For these type of traditional sweets, I strongly recommend to prepare in a bronze pot or heavy bottomed kadai. These types of traditional utensils have several advantages like they spread heat evenly and it also requires less ghee than a normal kadai or pan. A good bronze pot (vengala panai) will make it much easier to prepare this pongal and also for our other traditional sweets.

Similar Prasadam recipes




Sarkkarai Pongal  - Sweet Pongal Recipe Details





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Prep time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : dessert/prasadam
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients
  • 1 cup (200 grams) raw rice
  • 2 cups jaggery
  • 3 cups water
  • 5 to 7 tbsp ghee
  • 10 cashew nuts
Cooking Directions
  1. Measure the rice and add it in a vessel. Wash the rice in water for 2 to 3 times and soak the rice with 1/2 cup of water for 20 minutes.
  2. Add remaining 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 to 5 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle down naturally.
  3. In the meantime, grate the jaggery using a knife and add it to bronze pot or heavy bottomed kadai. Add 1/4 cup of water and keep the pot on low heat.
  4. Open the cooker and gently mash the rice with a ladle.When the jaggery has dissolved completely, add the cooked rice along with a tbsp of ghee.
  5. Mix the rice well with the jaggery and continue to cook on low heat for 10 to minutes. Add the ghee in regular intervals and cook. Stir in between to avoid sticking in the bottom.
  6. When the ghee starts to seperate on the sides of the pongal, heat a tsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts and add it to the hot pongal.
  7. Mix the pongal well and turn off the heat. Allow the pongal to be in the bronze pot for 20 to 30 minutes and then transfer it to the serving dish.

Sarkkarai Pongal  - Sweet Pongal with step by step photos


Add 1 cup of rice in a wide vessel. (Measure the rice before adding, because you have to measure jaggery with the same cup).


Wash the rice in water for 2 to 3 times and soak the rice with 1/2 cup of water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add reamaining 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 to 5 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle down naturally.


 In the meantime, grate the jaggery using a knife or broke them into small pieces.


 Add it to bronze pot or heavy bottomed kadai. Add 1/4 cup of water and keep the pot on low heat.


Open the cooker and gently mash the rice with a ladle.


When the jaggery has dissolved completely, add the cooked rice along with a tbsp of ghee.


Mix the rice well with the jaggery and continue to cook on low heat for 10 to minutes. Add the ghee in regular intervals and cook. Stir in between to avoid sticking in the bottom.


When the ghee starts to seperate on the sides of the pongal, heat a tsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts and add it to the hot pongal.


Mix the pongal well and turn off the heat. Allow the pongal to be in the bronze pot for 20 to 30 minutes and then transfer it to the serving dish.


Notes
In this pongal, I have not included any additional flavours like cardamom powder or edible camphor because I like to have pongal only with the two  flavours such as the ghee and jaggery. If you want to include, add it in the final stage. Try to use fresh ghee and good quality jaggery for perfect results.
If you overcook the rice, then your pongal turns runny and it will take more time to set





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