Hope everyone has had a great Sankranti .. Ours was a simple one. Sankranti coincided with a public holiday here so the husband was at home. I made a huge pot of Khara Pongal (which is a favourite & a breakfast staple at home) & a tiny bit of sweet Pongal. No one at home is fond of sweets so eating even a tiny bit of sweet requires a lot of coaxing from my side .. I nevertheless made it for the festive spirit
Sankranti is not complete with Ellu mixture Here is a link to the Ellu Bella post, if you want to read more about how it is made
Here's my way of making Sweet Pongal. The Rice:Moong Dal proportions vary from one household to another. Amma has always been using equal parts of Rice & Moong Dal so I continue the same
HOW TO MAKE SWEET PONGAL
You Will Need:
NOTE:
Adding Turmeric is optional but I love the golden hue it brings
Adding Milk it optional too but it adds a nice rich taste.
I don't like an overdose of sweetness, so I've added just about 3/4th cup of powdered jaggery & the sweetness was perfect for me. Add a bit more jaggery if you like
- 1/2 cup Rice - I used Sona Masuri
- 1/2 cup Yellow Moog Dal
- 3/4 - 1 cup powdered Jaggery
- 1 cup Milk
- 3 cups Water
- 1/4 cup Ghee
- 2 tbsp Dry coconut - Optional (I did Not Add)
- A big pinch of turmeric
- A pinch of cardamom powder
- A pinch of nutmeg powder
- 8-10 Raisins
- 8-10 Cashew nuts
How To:
In a pan, dry roast Moong Dal on medium until aromatic. Wash rice under running water & pressure cook Rice & Moong Dal with 2 cups of water for 2-3 whistled Allow it to cool down. Once cool, mash it slightly
Fry Raisins & cashew nuts in a tbsp of Ghee & set aside
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup of water & add powdered jaggery. On a medium flme, keep stirring & let the jaggery melt. Once the jaggery is completely melted and starts bubbling, Add the cooked Rice & Dal mixture & mix well
Add turmeric, Ghee & milk & give it a good mix & allow it to cook on medium flame. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk or water.
Pongal should have the consistency of a kheer initially. It tends to thicken after a while & will be of soft porridge like consistency. Keep this in my while adjusting the consistency.
Initially, if you find the Pongal to be very runny, do not panic & add more rice to thicken it. Pongal thickens as it sits over time
Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder & Dry coconut & mix well. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat &. Add in fried Raisins & cashew nuts and transfer to a serving bowl
NOTE:
Adding Turmeric is optional but I love the golden hue it brings
Adding Milk it optional too but it adds a nice rich taste.
I don't like an overdose of sweetness, so I've added just about 3/4th cup of powdered jaggery & the sweetness was perfect for me. Add a bit more jaggery if you like
