Sakkarai Pongal/Sweet Pongal Recipe

Recipe

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We are going to see the recipe for Kovil sakkarai Pongal. Kovil means temple in Tamil and this sweet rice is given as Prashad in temples. It is also a popular sweet dish made during the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal, has a rich cultural and culinary significance. 

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1 Cup

Split green gram/Yellow Moong Dal – ¼ Cup

Jaggery – ½ Cup

Edible Camphor/ Pachha Karpuram – For Flavor

Cardamom / Elaichi Powder – 1 tsp

Kismis / Raisins – 8-10 (or as needed)

Broken Cashew nuts – 8-10 (or as needed)

Ghee/ Clarified Butter – ½ Cup

Method of Preparation:

• Take split green gram in a pressure pan and roast it for about a minute. This quantity is very less it needn't change color or anything just roast for about a minute. Switch off the flame and add raw rice, then add water to the rice and Daal and wash them well.
• To the washed rice and dal now add 3 cups of water and cook it. Add 1 tbsp of ghee to this rice and dal before closing the pressure pan. Now close the pressure pan and allow 3 to 4 whistles so that the rice and dal are cooked well.
• In the meanwhile take the jaggery in a vessel and add 1/4 cup of water, heat it and let the jaggery dissolve in the water. Switch off the flame once jaggery is dissolved.
• Heat a small skillet and add 2 tbsp ghee. When the ghee is hot add the broken cashew nuts. Stir the cashew nuts until they turn light golden brown in color. Once the cashew nuts have turned color add raisins or Kismis. Stir until the raisins expand and become like a balloon. Switch off the flame once done and keep it aside.
• Once the pressure is gone from the pressure pan open it and you can see the rice and daal are cooked. Mash lightly with a ladle and add the rice and dal to the jaggery syrup that we prepared.
• The rice and daal are not in a very mashy consistency, it is preferred this way because if it is too mashed up then the pongal will look more like halwa.
• Add in the fried raisins and cashew nuts along with the ghee in which they were fried and mix well. Add the cardamom powder and now switch on the flame. Keep the flame low and after stirring for about two minutes add the rest of the ghee or clarified butter.
• The point to remember is we have to keep the flame low, add the ghee and stir continuously for at least 15 minutes. Only when you stir it for that long after adding ghee will you get the nice color of the Chakkara Pongal. The color will darken and the sweetness of the jaggery will be absorbed by the rice and dal.
• Once the Pongal has thickened and turned into a nice brown color with ghee oozing out, it is time to switch off the flame.
• It is ready to serve.  Optionally you can add the edible camphor before serving in a very small fraction and you have to be very careful while adding it. You can add it only if you like the divine aroma of the Prashad in the temples. But if you add it in excess it's going to spoil the taste and make it bitter.

Here are five interesting facts about Sakkarai Pongal:

1. Traditional Offering to Sun God

   Sakkarai Pongal is made as an offering (prasad) to the Sun God (Surya) during the Pongal festival. This festival marks the harvest season and is celebrated as a thanksgiving for a bountiful crop.

2. Ingredients Represent Prosperity

   The dish is made with freshly harvested rice, jaggery, ghee, moong dal, and cashew nuts. Each ingredient symbolizes prosperity, sweetness, and abundance in life. For example, jaggery signifies sweetness and happiness, while ghee represents purity and auspiciousness.

3. The Overflowing Pot Ritual

   While cooking Sakkarai Pongal, it is common to let the pot of milk boil and overflow. This act is considered a sign of abundance and prosperity, symbolizing a wish for overflowing happiness and wealth in the coming year.

4. Cooked in an Earthen Pot

   Traditionally, Sakkarai Pongal is cooked in an earthen pot called "pongal panai," which enhances its flavor and gives it a rustic aroma. The pot is often decorated with turmeric leaves and tied with sugarcane.

5. Spiritual Significance

   The preparation of Sakkarai Pongal is deeply rooted in spirituality. Stirring the dish continuously during cooking is believed to bring positive energy, and the act of sharing it with family and neighbors fosters a sense of community and gratitude. 

These elements make Sakkarai Pongal much more than just a dish—it's a celebration of culture, community, and gratitude!