Sweet Pongal / Sarkarai Pongal

Sarkarai pongal or sweet pongal is a traditional Indian sweet dish prepared using jaggery. A variation is to substitute jaggery with sugar. However, I personally prefer the former version. This dish is prepared as a tradition during the harvest festival called Pongal/Sankranti. However, owing to the ease of preparation, it can be frequented as often as your palate desires the same 🙂

 

Ingredients: (quantity serves 2 people)

Raw rice: 3/4 cup

Moong dal (Pasi parupu): 1/4 cup

Jaggery (grated): 2 cups

Cashew nut (broken in halves or smaller pieces): 1/2 cup

Raisins: 1/4 cup

Ghee: 1/2 to 3/4 cups

Cardamom powder or Whole crushed cardamom (optional): 1/2 tsp or 1 respectively

Method:

Step 1:

Wash rice and moong dal, and cook them together in the pressure cooker by adding surplus water. Example: If you usually use the ratio of 1:2 for rice and water, then you can measure 3 to 3-1/2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice (3/4) +moong dal (1/4). You could pressure cook for a whistle and then simmer for 20 mins. Alternatively, you could leave it for 5 to 6 whistles on medium heat.

Step 2:

Dissolve jaggery in 1/2 cup water and slightly heat this mixture for 3 to 4 mins (do not bring it to boil. Remove from stove when you see slight whitish froth beginning to form on top of the mixture while heating). Set aside for 5 to 10 mins and then filter the jaggery water using a netted sieve or light cotton/muslin cloth. This is done to remove any unwanted sediments such as mud or stones from the jaggery. While filtering this, leave the last portion of jaggery water if you find any visible sediments.

Step 3: for garnishing

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a skillet and roast the cashew nuts in it until their color starts to change. Remove immediately from heat and set aside on a plate.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a skillet and roast the raising until they attain the original shape of grapes. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate.

Step 4:

Mix the cooked rice-moong dal mixture along with jaggery water in a pan and stir the contents well on medium heat. You can add another 1/4 cup water or less in case you feel the pongal mixture is too thick. Keep stirring continuously and bring to a boil. Then add the remaining portion of ghee in small proportions while still stirring the mixture. Keep adding ghee and stirring until the ghee separates from the mixture. Remove from heat and Garnish with cashews, raisins and cardamom (optional).

Serve hot and enjoy this absolutely delectable dish!

 

Asoga

A dessert or sweet made out of Moong dal (Pasi paruppu)… it is truly mouthwatering and extremely healthy. It has its roots from Thiruvaiyaru a small town in Tanjavur Dt. and is quite popular in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu such as Trichy, Tanjavur, etc. Try it and you will keep wanting it over and over again.

Ingredients:

Moong Dal : 1 cup

Milk : 1 cup

Water : 1 cup

Sugar : 2 cups

Saffron powder : 1/2 tsp

Ghee : 1-1/2 to 2 cups

Cashew nuts (broken into halves or smaller pieces): 1/2 cup

Method:

Step 1:

Wash moong dal and then pressure cook it by adding 1 cup water and 1/4 cup milk (Leave it for 1 – 2 whistles and then simmer for 10 – 15 mins). After the cooker has cooled down, remove the cooked moong dal and mash it well with a spatula or flat bottomed spoon.

Step 2: for garnishing

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a skillet and roast the cashew nuts in it until their color starts to change. Remove immediately from heat and set aside on a plate.

Step 3:

Heat 1 to 2 tbsp ghee in a deep pan and add the mashed moong dal to it (on medium – low heat). Add milk to the dal and mix well. Once the milk and dal has blended well, add the saffron powder and continue stirring until the color has evenly spread throughout the mixture. Then start adding ghee in small proportions while stirring continuously. After you have added all the ghee, you must continue stirring until the ghee separates from the mixture. Remove from heat and garnish with roasted cashew nuts.

Serve hot to enjoy the taste of freshly made Asoga. You can store this for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Ensure that you always heat it for a few seconds in the microwave before you consume it out of the refrigerator.