Sweet pongal

This dish is the sweet version of the regular khichdi that is prepared. The main ingredient is the same - rice and moong dal. Jaggery/sugar is added to give the sweetness and decorated with ghee fried nuts and raisins and flavoured with cardamom powder. It is generally prepared in temples as a prasadam, (an offering made to a deity).

Preparation of Sweet Pongal

Ingredients:

Rice: ½ cup

Moong dal : 1 cup

Jaggery powder: 1 cup

Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

Mix nuts: 1 small cup

Ghee: 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Dry roast moong dal till it is slightly brown in colour, add a cup of water and allow it to soak.
• Wash the rice in water and keep it aside.
• Melt jaggery by adding ¼ cup of water, cool and strain.
• Chop all the nuts and keep them ready
• In a pressure cooker, add dal and rice with a cup of water and cook for 2-3 whistles.
• Remove the cooker lid, add the jaggery syrup, lower the flame and allow it to simmer till the mixture becomes a little thick.
• Switch off the gas, add cardamom powder. Roast the nuts in the ghee and add all over the sweet pongal. Mix well and serve.

Note: Rice can be replaced with millets like foxtail or any other millet. Millets need to be soaked for 4-5 hours before cooking.