Sweet Pongal Recipe Temple Style | Chakkara – Sakkarai Pongal

Sweet Pongal Recipe | Sakkarai Pongal Recipe | Chakkara Pongal with detailed photo and video recipe. A popular sweetened rice-based dish from south India is also hugely popular in Sri Lanka and Thailand, especially with the Tamil community. There are several names across south India, also known as hugger in Kannada or Karnataka. The dish is made explicitly during the Pongal festival with moong dal, jaggery and rice with freshly harvested grains.

Sweet Pongal Recipe | Sakkarai Pongal Recipe | Chakkara Pongal with step-by-step photo and video recipe. There are several varieties of pongal dishes, and the most common one is the savoury ven pongal, which is mainly prepared for breakfast. But the sweet Pongal or chakra pongal is specially prepared during the celebration of the Sankranti festival and served as Prasadam in many south Indian temples.

The festival of Pongal or Makara Sankranti is celebrated from January 13th to 16th of every year. The occasion is to celebrate the harvest season and give thanks to nature by cooking new rice or freshly harvested grains. The word ‘ponga’ means overflowing and refers to an overflow cooking style in an earthly pot with a wood fire. Moreover, Sankranti is widely celebrated on January 14th, but each day of this 4-day festival is significant and is celebrated with unique recipes. But the Sakkarai pongal recipe or chakkara pongal is prepared daily and served with other desserts and savouries.

Here are some essential tips and points to be considered while preparing a sweet pongal recipe. Firstly and traditionally, sweet Pongal is always ready from jaggery, making it more flavourful. However, as an alternative, you can also use white crystal sugar or brown sugar as a replacement if you do not have jaggery. Secondly, I have used Sona Masuri rice daily in this recipe, and I recommend the same. Also, ensure it is cooked well before adding jaggery syrup; otherwise, it may not mix well. Lastly, the temple-style Chakkara pongal recipe typically contains camphor said to it in a small quantity. If you wish to have an authentic one, add a small crushed portion at the end of the recipe.

Finally, I would like to highlight my other Indian sweet recipe collection for the festival with this post on Sweet Pongal. It includes recipes like Sooji ka halwa, Sabudana kheer, rice kheer, Malpua, Besan Laddo, Rava Ladoo, Balushahi, Boondi Laddo, karanji and Obbattu recipe. In addition, do visit my other recipes collection,

• Rice Recipes Collection
• Dosa Recipes Collection
• Idli Recipes Collection

About Sweet Pongal

It is a traditional rich and creamy South Indian dessert recipe made with a combination of rice and moong dal with the sweetness of jaggery. Sweet Pongal, or the most commonly known as Chakkara Pongal or Sakkarai Pongal, is a Tamil Cuisine delicacy. It is typically prepared during the Makara Sankranti or Pongal festival and served as a Prasadam with other festival delicacies.

There are many different ways to make this simple, Sweet Pongal Recipe. The traditional Sakkarai Pongal is made with a simple combination of rice, moong dal, jaggery and ghee with cardamom toppings. It can be extended by adding coconut to make it rich and creamy. Further, the rice can be skipped, and thick Poha can be added to make it a rice-free ponga recipe. Lastly, you can use a range of millets and broken wheat if you need a healthy variant.

Video Recipe

Recipe Card for Sakkarai Pongal

How to Make Sweet Pongal with Step-by-step photos

1. Firstly, heat 1 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker and roast ½ cups moong dal until it turns aromatic.
   
2. Add 1 cup sona masuri rice and continue to roast on low flame.
   
3. Add 4 cup water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
   
4. Once the pressure is released, make sure to make the dal and rice mushy. Keep aside.
   
5. In a pan heat ½ cup ghee. Add 2 tbsp cashews, 2 tbsp raisins, and 5 cloves.
   
6. Roast until the cashew turns golden brown. Keep aside.
   
7. In a saucepan take 2 cup jaggery and 1 cup water.
   
8. Stir and dissolve making sure the jaggery is well combined.
   
9. Boil till the jaggery syrup turns a slightly sticky consistency. Add in fried nuts and boil for 2 minutes.
   
10. Now pour in the mixture and mix gently.
    
11. Mix until everything is well combined adjusting the consistency as required. Also add cardamom powder for enhanced flavour.
    
12. Finally, enjoy Chakkara – Sakkarai Pongal Recipe or Sweet Pongal Recipe offering to the God.
    

Notes

• Firstly, make sure to roast the dal well to get a nutty flavor.
• Also, adjust the consistency of pongal if you are serving after some time.
• Additionally, adding a generous amount of ghee helps to make Pongal a silky consistency and rich in flavour.
• Finally, Chakkara – Sakkarai Pongal Recipe or Sweet Pongal Recipe tastes great when served hot.