Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongali is a tasty, cardamom-scented rice and lentil pudding studded with cashews and raisins. It’s historically made to rejoice the south Indian harvest pageant, Pongal, however you do not want any explicit purpose to eat this dairy-free model — apart from the truth that it is uncommonly scrumptious!
Desk of Contents
What’s pongal?
The passing of the winter solstice kicks off India’s legendary love for celebrations. Farmers, and everybody else, give their thanks for the tip of the harvest with festivals that go by totally different names throughout totally different states: makar sankranti, lohri, ugadi and bihu, amongst others.
The state of Tamil Nadu, in south India, celebrates the tip of the harvest with a pageant named pongal. And to provide thanks, they prepare dinner up two very particular dishes with lentils and the newly harvested rice: ven pongal, or savory pongal, and sakkarai pongal, or candy pongal.
“Ponga,” in Tamil, means to overflow, and cooking pongal after the harvest signifies prosperity and abundance. In south Indian houses, cooks warmth milk and rice for pongal in a clay pot and let it boil over in symbolic celebration as cries of “Pongalo, pongal!” ring out.
My husband, Desi, is Tamil and though he could not be bothered with symbolisms and celebrating something, we do rejoice nice meals. And pongal actually is that.
To make sakkarai pongal you want just some substances, with the chief ones being rice, moong dal (yellow mung lentils) and jaggery, an unrefined sugar made with palm sap or sugarcane juice. There may be yet another ingredient that’s at all times touted as a should for pongal as a result of it would not simply act as a cooking medium, however as a strong flavoring agent: ghee.
Most cooks use as a lot as a cup of ghee in a sakkarai pongal recipe, turning what could possibly be a healthy-ish deal with into an unhealthy indulgence.
On Holy Cow Vegan we do not use ghee as a result of we love cows. Within the early years of this weblog I got here up with a ghee-free vegan candy pongal that tastes wonderful. I’ve since made fairly a number of modifications to that recipe to make it even yummier and extra authentic-tasting, whereas nonetheless retaining it freed from any dairy merchandise. Attempt it, and I’m certain you will agree!
Why you’ll love this sakkarai pongal recipe
- Dairy-free however scrumptious. There isn’t a milk nor ghee on this recipe, however our cruelty-free pongal is simply as yummy as the opposite model.
- Easy, with only a handful of pantry substances wanted. In case you are an Indian prepare dinner or have a well-stocked pantry of Indian substances, you’ll be able to seemingly make this candy pongal with what you have already got available. Or you’ll be able to simply purchase them on-line or at an Indian grocery retailer.
- Everybody-friendly. The candy pongal is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. In case you are nut-free, simply miss the cashews and garnish as a substitute with pumpkin seeds.
Professional suggestions
Making the perfect sakkarai pongal is a course of involving a number of steps but it surely actually is not tough and you may make a tremendous, genuine pongal in about an hour. Be sure you observe the following tips for achievement:
- Use the proper proportions of substances. Use a dal to rice ratio of 1:4 and a rice to jaggery ratio of 1:2 by quantity. On this recipe we’ll use one-fourth of a cup of moong dal, one cup of rice and two cups of jaggery.
- Use a short-grain rice or medium-grain rice. The consistency of the proper candy pongal must be runny and glutinous and you need to hardly be capable of discern the rice and lentils. Suppose risotto, not biryani.
- Prepare dinner the rice and lentils in milk. I exploit cashew milk or oat milk. When the rice and lentils prepare dinner in milk they turn into silkier and extra flavorful.
- Prepare dinner the rice and lentils till actually, actually mushy. You may pressure-cook the rice and moong dal in a range high strain cooker or an Instantaneous Pot or a rice cooker. Or, if you have no of those, use a heavy saucepan with a decent lid. The rice and lentils ought to actually be melting within the milk once you flip off the warmth.
- Prepare dinner the jaggery completely. As a result of jaggery is an unrefined sugar it has a uncooked taste. Earlier than including it to candy dishes it’s best to prepare dinner the jaggery completely. I am going to present you ways, however do not be tempted to chop the method quick if you would like the perfect taste.
- Take your time. As soon as you place the lentils and rice along with the jaggery, take 10-Quarter-hour to prepare dinner them collectively to permit the flavors to meld.
Substances
Skip over to the recipe card for actual portions of every ingredient.
- Rice. Ponni uncooked rice, normally obtainable at Indian grocery shops right here in the US, is the proper rice for pongal. You may also use sona masoori or, you probably have arborio rice available, use that (that is what I usually use and it really works completely).
- Moong dal. These tiny yellow lentils are simply obtainable on-line or at Indian shops.
- Jaggery (vellam/gur). Jaggery, an unrefined Indian sugar, is critical for the correct taste and texture in a pongal. Once more, you’ll be able to simply discover it on-line or at an Indian retailer. Jaggery is offered as lumps or in powder kind. I purchase the powder as a result of it is a lot simpler to make use of.
- Inexperienced cardamom powder (elakkai/elaichi). Whenever you see “floor cardamom” in an Indian recipe, it virtually at all times refers to floor inexperienced cardamom seeds, not black or brown cardamom, that are used complete in savory dishes. You should purchase floor cardamom, however I favor shopping for inexperienced cardamom pods, peeling and crushing the seeds in a mortar and pestle proper earlier than I add them to a recipe for the perfect taste.
- Nutmeg (jathika/jaifal). Nutmeg is one other needed “candy” spice for pongal. You want just a bit but it surely provides nice taste. Once more, it is best to purchase complete nutmeg as a substitute of nutmeg powder and grate a little bit of it earlier than use. Some cooks add cloves and edible camphor (pachchai karpooram), an extract from the camphor tree that has a really distinctive aroma, to pongal. Desi hates it so I depart it out.
- Pure vanilla extract. This isn’t a standard ingredient, but it surely’s one among my secret substances for Indian recipes the place I’m changing ghee (you already know that for those who’ve made my vegan kheer). A tiny splash of vanilla added to candy pongal on the finish of cooking makes all of the distinction.
- Uncooked cashews. Use complete cashew nuts or cashew items. I favor the latter.
- Raisins. Raisins are a should in chakkara pongal for an genuine taste. Golden raisins are conventional, however I exploit no matter form I’ve available.
Variations for particular diets
- Nut-free: Use pumpkin seeds as a substitute of cashews, and oat milk or soy milk as a substitute of cashew milk.
- Low-oil: There are simply two tablespoons and a teaspoon of oil on this recipe, which is actually not a lot for a dish like this. However if you wish to lower down on the oil additional use a teaspoon of oil every to fry the moong dal and rice in step 1 and to roast the cashews in step 5, slicing the oil down to simply three teaspoons complete. I’d not suggest making this dish oil-free.
Easy methods to make candy pongal
1. Warmth a tablespoon of oil in a strain cooker or a heavy-bottomed saucepan or within the liner of the Instantaneous Pot set to the saute mode. Add the moong dal and saute till very fragrant and a few shades darker. Add the rice and saute for a few minutes till the grains flip opaque.
2. Add 4 cups dairy-free milk to the rice and lentils. Combine and prepare dinner till the rice and lentils are very, very mushy. If doing this in a saucepan you will want about half-hour. Cowl the pot and stir often throughout cooking. Add extra water or milk if the combination dries up earlier than it has cooked. In a strain cooker that whistles, prepare dinner for 4 whistles. Within the Instantaneous Pot prepare dinner for Quarter-hour on guide strain.
3. Add 1 / 4 cup water to a saucepan, convey to a boil, then add the jaggery. Let the jaggery combination come to a boil.
4. As soon as the jaggery boils, let it proceed cooking for six extra minutes over medium-low warmth. That is actually key since you need the jaggery to lose its uncooked style. Do not let the jaggery syrup quiet down as soon as it is finished as a result of it’ll harden up because it stands.
5. About 5 minutes earlier than the jaggery is cooked, warmth a tablespoon of oil in a big wok or kadhai or skillet. Add the cashews and stir-fry for a few minutes over medium warmth till the cashews are a lightweight golden-brown.
6. Add the cooked rice and dal combination to the wok with a cup of milk or water. Combine completely and convey to a boil over medium excessive warmth.
7. Pour within the melted jaggery and blend it into the rice-dal combination. Convey the pongal to a boil. If the combination seems to be dry add some extra water or milk.
8. As soon as the pongal has been cooking for about 5 minutes, stir within the floor nutmeg and floor cardamom.
9. Proceed cooking the pongal a pair extra minutes, stirring steadily, till the combination has thickened and has the consistency of a thick pudding. At this level you’ll be able to add a pinch of salt to assist intensify the sweetness of the pongal. Flip off the warmth and stir within the pure vanilla extract.
10. Warmth a small skillet and add a teaspoon of oil. Roast the raisins within the oil for only a minute till puffy however not burnt. Add them to the pongal and stir in. Serve the pongal heat or at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ
Pongal is a pageant of well-being and abundance and the liberal use of ghee on this dish is supposed to suggest that abundance. However ghee in India in the present day signifies one thing fully totally different: it’s the product of horrible cruelty and the struggling of Indian cows. Most Indian milk comes from tabelas — Indian dairy manufacturing facility farms that deal with the cows as instruments for revenue and abuse them in unthinkable ways. Sadly, those that worship cows as holy and search to “defend” them from religions which have historically eaten beef in India additionally enthusiastically endorse the liberal use of milk merchandise in Hindu households and festivals. It is time to finish this hypocrisy. Milk and beef each harm cows, and consuming one is not any higher than consuming the opposite. A pageant — a time of celebration — is a good time to say “no” to the cruelty and “sure” to small changes in our diets that may influence animals, the setting, and our well being in optimistic methods.
This vegan sakkarai pongal is unquestionably more healthy than the standard pongal made with tons of ghee and, generally, milk. That mentioned, though there are wholesome rice and lentils on this dish, and there’s an unrefined sugar, sugar continues to be sugar, so eat this dish carefully. Get pleasure from each chunk, however do not overindulge.
In my outdated model of sakkarai pongal I used coconut milk and coconut oil. Whereas coconut is nice in south Indian meals, I used to be not fully proud of the outcome as a result of coconut tends so as to add a pleasant however overwhelming taste that takes away from the genuine style of pongal. So I do not suggest it anymore, though if that is your solely choice you should use it. You may also use coconut oil as a substitute of a impartial oil, which I like to recommend.
Common granulated sugar merely will not provide the identical taste as jaggery. If you have no jaggery or cannot supply it, you should use coconut sugar, which can style fairly good. Prepare dinner the coconut sugar precisely as you’ll use the jaggery. Or, you probably have entry to a Mexican grocery retailer, use piloncillo, which could be very very similar to jaggery.
Storage directions
- Refrigerate: Retailer sakkarai pongal within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze the pongal in an hermetic container or freezer-safe container for as much as 4 months.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat the pongal in a saucepan or within the microwave. If wanted add a little bit of milk or water to return it to a pudding-like consistency.
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Candy Pongal (Sakkarai Pongal)
Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal is a tasty, cardamom-scented rice and lentil pudding studded with cashews and raisins. It’s historically made to rejoice the south Indian harvest pageant, Pongal, however you do not want any explicit purpose to eat this dairy-free model — apart from the truth that it is uncommonly scrumptious!
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Servings: 12 servings
Energy: 343kcal
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Directions
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Warmth a tablespoon of oil in a strain cooker or a heavy-bottomed saucepan or within the liner of the Instantaneous Pot set to the “saute” perform. Add the moong dal and saute till very fragrant and a few shades darker. Add the rice and saute for a few minutes till the grains flip opaque.
-
Add 4 cups dairy-free milk to the rice and lentils. Combine and prepare dinner till the rice and lentils are very, very mushy. If doing this in a saucepan you will want about half-hour. Cowl the pot and stir often throughout cooking. Add extra water or milk if the combination dries up earlier than it has cooked. In a strain cooker that whistles, prepare dinner for 4 whistles. Within the Instantaneous Pot prepare dinner for Quarter-hour on guide strain.
-
Add 1 / 4 cup water to a saucepan, convey to a boil, then add the jaggery. Let the jaggery combination come to a boil.
-
As soon as the jaggery boils, let it proceed cooking for six extra minutes over medium-low warmth. That is actually key since you need the jaggery to lose its uncooked style. Do not let the jaggery quiet down as soon as it is finished as a result of it’ll harden up because it stands.
-
About 5 minutes earlier than the jaggery has cooked, warmth a tablespoon of oil in a big wok or kadhai or skillet. Add the cashews and stir-fry for a few minutes over medium warmth till the cashews are a lightweight golden-brown.
-
Add the cooked rice and dal combination to the wok with a cup of milk or water. Combine completely and convey to a boil over medium excessive warmth.
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Pour within the melted jaggery and blend it into the rice and dal combination. Convey the pongal again to a boil. If the combination seems to be dry add some extra water or milk.
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As soon as the pongal has been cooking for about 5 minutes, stir within the floor nutmeg and floor cardamom.
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Proceed cooking the pongal a pair extra minutes, stirring steadily, till the combination has thickened and has the consistency of a thick pudding. Add a really tiny pinch of salt at this level, to intensify the sweetness of the pongal. Flip off the warmth and stir within the pure vanilla extract.
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Warmth a small skillet and add a teaspoon of oil. Roast the raisins within the oil for only a minute till puffy however not burnt. Add them to the pongal and stir in.
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Serve the candy pongal heat or at room temperature.
Diet
Energy: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 5g | Fats: 7g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 2mg
