Sweet Pongal (Bellam Pongali)

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The second dish I made for Sankranthi is this ‘Sweet Pongal/ Bellam Pongali‘. This recipe is from Chandra Padmanabhan’s Dakshin cookbook. Pongal, both sweet or savory, are traditionally made for Sankranthi.

My mom makes Chakkara pongali with a combination of jaggery and sugar, but this recipe uses all jaggery. The addition of cardamom, cloves and nutmeg makes this taste just like the ones served in the temples.

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Sweet Pongal (Bellam Pongali)Green gram dal/ Pesarapappu/ Moong dal, Rice, Milk, Jaggery – powdered (adjust as per taste), Cashews, Raisins, Ground cardamom, Ground Cloves, Ground Nutmeg, Saffron, Dry roast the green gram dal for a couple of minutes until fragrant.; Wash rice and dal together and place them in a pressure cooker along with 1¼cups of water and the milk. Cook without the whistle for 20~30 minutes on medium flame till rice and dal are tender. Pressure cooking with whistle might cause the milk to boil over, so pressure cook without the whistle.; Melt jaggery in ¼cup of water and simmer for a few minutes till the syrup thickens a little bit. Pour the syrup to cooked rice and dal. Simmer for a few minutes on medium-low flame. Turn off the heat.; Heat 2tbsp ghee in a small pan, add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add this to the pongal.; Finally add the ground cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and saffron. Mix well and serve!!; [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

Print Recipe

Sweet Pongal (Bellam Pongali)

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: south indian

Servings: 4 Servings

Author: Pavani

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Green gram dal/ Pesarapappu/ Moong dal
• ½ cup Rice
• 1¼ cups Water
• ½ cup Milk
• 1~1½ cups Jaggery , powdered (adjust as per taste)
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tbsp Cashews
• 1 tbsp Raisins
• 1 tsp Ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
• ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
• A few strands of Saffron

Instructions

• Dry roast the green gram dal for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
• Wash rice and dal together and place them in a pressure cooker along with water and the milk. Cook without the whistle for 20~30 minutes on medium flame till rice and dal are tender. Pressure cooking with whistle might cause the milk to boil over, so pressure cook without the whistle.
• Melt jaggery in ¼cup of water and simmer for a few minutes till the syrup thickens a little bit. Pour the syrup to cooked rice and dal. Simmer for a few minutes on medium-low flame. Turn off the heat.
• Heat ghee in a small pan, add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add this to the pongal.
• Finally add the ground cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and saffron. Mix well and serve!