Sweet Pongal/ Sakkarai Pongal

I made this Pongal exactly as my mother used to make it – the method as well as the measurements of the ingredients. Only difference: my mother used to make it in a pan whereas I made it in a pressure cooker. This Pongal is made during special occasions like festivals or a happy occasion at home. It is also made as an offering to the deities during Ganesh Festival etc.

Ingredients:

Any Raw Rice or Basmati Rice – 1 cup (soaked in water for 30 minutes)

Full Fat Milk – 1 cup

Water – 4 to 5 cups

Scrapped Jaggery (Gur) – 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups

Elaichi Powder – 1 tsp

Nutmeg Powder – 1 pinch

Ghee – 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp

Cashew – 2 to 3 tbsp (or more as required)

Raisins – 2 tbsp (or more as required)

Method:

(Since I prepared this Pongal for the traditional Pooja for the Pongal Festival, I followed some traditions. You can skip them and prepare this Pongal directly in the pressure cooker.)

Add 5 cups of water and 1 cup of full fat milk to a pressure cooker. Add washed and soaked Rice to it. Cook the Rice in the pressure cooker for 4 to 5 whistles. Make sure the Rice is cooked well.

Heat the Jaggery in a pan with ¼ cup of water. Keep stirring till the Jaggery melts completely. Filter this Jaggery water to remove any dirt and mud. Heat the filtered Jaggery water once again till it attains a string consistency.

Mash the Rice in the pressure cooker when it is hot. Add the above Jaggery syrup to it. If you want the Pongal to be little thin, you can add little more water or boiled milk to it at this stage.

Stir well and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes till the Jaggery combines with rice.

In the meanwhile, heat ¼ tbsp of Ghee and fry the Cashews and Raisins and pour them into the Pongal. Add the Cardoman and Nutmeg Powder. Add a tbsp of Ghee also. Stir and mix the Pongal well.

The sweet and tasty Pongal is ready for serving.

Notes:

1. You can adjust the Jaggery to suit your taste.
2. You can also adjust the quantity of Cashews, Raisins and Ghee.
3. You can make this Pongal in Milk only or in water only.
4. You can adjust the texture by adjusting the quantity of milk or water.