Sweet Pongal Recipe (Instant Pot & Stove Top)

Sweet Pongal also known as Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara pongal recipe is an easy and delicious South Indian sweet dish made with rice, moong dal ,jaggery ,ghee ,dry fruits and flavored with cloves ,cardamom in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stove top.

Sakkarai/Sweet Pongal is a popular dish in South India especially in Tamil Nadu.Sweet Pongal is made during festival of Pongal (Makara Sankranti) or special occasions and generally offered to god as prasadam in temples.Sweet Pongal recipe is also known as Sakkare Pongal in kannada ,Sakkarai Pongal in tamil or Chakkara Pongal in telugu.

Pongal Festival

Pongal is a multi-day harvest festival of South India, particularly in the Tamil Nadu that marks the first day of the sun’s return journey to the northern hemisphere, widely known as Makar Sankranti in India and this is typically celebrated on January 14 and on this auspicious day people prepare both ven pongal and sweet pongal.

If you are looking to make the Savory version of the Pongal, then check out the Instant pot Ven Pongal and the Thinai Ven Pongal (millet) recipes.

This simple and tasty sweet dish prepared with very few ingredients like rice, moong dal, jaggery, milk, ghee, nuts, cardamom, cloves or nutmeg. Traditionally a pinch of edible camphor is added for additional flavor.Today I am sharing One-Pot Sweet/Sakkarai Pongal recipe which can be prepared in Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker.

Interestingly, I never got to taste Sweet Pongal at my home, as my Mother mostly made Khara Pongal during the festival.But it was my Aunt who religiously used to make super tasty Sweet Pongal on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi & I never missed a chance to grab more & eat it. 

Sakkarai Pongal ingredients

• Yellow Moong Dal - Use skinless split yellow moong dal.
• Rice - Traditionally raw rice is used to make sweet pongal.I have used medium grain Sona Masoori raw rice.
• Milk - I have used full fat dairy milk for this sweet pongal recipe ,you can also make with coconut milk ,almond milk if you are vegan or replace milk with water tastes equally good.
• Jaggery or Sugar - The quality of the jaggery is an important factor to make a delicious sakkarai pongal. Some jaggery will give light colour to the pongal.Always use dark jaggery to get a nice brown colour.
• I have used powdered organic jaggery.However if you do not have organic jaggery then take a small pot, add ½ cup water and the grated jaggery, Let the jaggery melt over low flame and use it for the recipe.If you do not have jaggery replace with brown sugar or regular sugar.
• Nuts - Use roasted Cashews & Raisins for this sweet dessert.You can also use almonds.
• Cardamom Powder - I have used freshly ground cardamom from 3 whole green cardamom pods.
• Ghee - Adding good quantity of ghee, enhances the taste and texture of the pongal. I highly recommend not to cut down the quantity of ghee for this recipe.
• Edible Camphor (optional) - a pinch of Edible camphor (pacha karpoora) is added to get Temple style chakkara/sweet pongal taste.
• Spices - cloves and ground nutmeg powder are added to enhance the taste.But its optional.

How to make Sweet Pongal?

Instant Pot Method

Press SAUTE. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee into the pot ,once hot add cashew-nuts ,roast until they turn light golden brown in color.Then add raisins and fry them till plump. Remove and keep aside.

Next add moong dal and roast for 30-45 seconds till the dal turns light brown or till aromatic. Dont brown it.

Then add the rinsed rice ,cloves ,milk and water .Mix well & Deglaze the pot.

Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and timer to 9 minutes.

Once the pressure has released naturally ,open the lid and mash the rice-dal mixture well.Note: Be sure that the rice & dal are fully cooked, before adding jaggery, because after adding jaggery ,the rice wont cook.

Turn on the SAUTE again and add the powdered organic jaggery with ½ cup of water and mix till it blends well with the rice dal mixture.It should begin to bubble up ,then turn off the SAUTE mode.

Alternately, If the jaggery has impurities take a small pot, add ½ cup water and add the grated jaggery, Let the jaggery melt over low flame.Strain the melted jaggery into the boiled dal and rice.(You do not have to boil the jaggery water until it reaches sticky consistency or string consistency) 

Lastly add roasted nuts ,ghee ,freshly ground cardamom ,nutmeg powder and edible camphor. Mix well. It will thicken and reach the right consistency as it cools down.

Sweet or Sakkarai/Chakkara Pongal in Instant Pot recipe is ready to serve.

Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method

• Take a pressure cooker and dry roast the moong dal for few minutes till dal turns light brown or till aromatic. Dont brown it.
• Then add the rinsed rice ,cloves ,milk and water .Mix well.
• Close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame and turn off the gas.
• Once the pressure has released, open the lid and mash the rice-dal mixture well.
• Turn on the gas on medium-low flame and add the powdered organic jaggery with ½ cup of water and mix till it blends well with the rice dal mixture .It should begin to bubble up ,then turn off the gas.
• In another pan roast cashew and raisins in some ghee ,keep aside.
• Lastly add roasted nuts ,ghee ,freshly ground cardamom ,nutmeg powder and edible camphor. Mix well. It will thicken and reach the right consistency as it cools down.
• Pressure Cooker Sweet Pongal is ready to serve.
  

Tips to make best Sweet Pongal

1. The colour of the Chakkara pongal depends on the jaggery.Always use dark jaggery to get a nice brown colour.
2. Do not compromise on the quantity of ghee.More the better.
3. Using medium grain rice such as sona masuri is preferred to make traditional Sweet Pongal.
4. Sweet Pongal thickens a little on cooling. You can save leftovers in the refrigerator and re heat in a microwave or on stove top (add hot water if required to adjust consistency) just before serving.
   

Variations

1. Ratio of dal to rice is a personal preference.I have used 1:2 dal to rice ratio.But you can add equal amounts of dal and rice as well.
2. You can use the same recipe to make millets ,quinoa sweet pongal.Just replace rice with millets or quinoa.
3. Increase or decrease jaggery as per your preference.
4. Edible Camphor is to get temple style flavor to the pongal but its optional.You can skip it.

Recipe FAQs

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