Sugar Pongal

Sugar Pongal

This is another version of sweet pongal prepared with sugar. Big South Indian festival pongal is forthcoming. Pongal is a harvest festival in India with different names like Makara sankranthi in Telugu states, Lohri n Bihu in northern parts of India.

1. Pongal is celebrated for four days. First day Bhogi festival. unusable household materials are thrown into bonfire. In many Andhra families there is a tradition called bhogi pallu , showering Indian jujube fruit( in Telugu regu pandlu) on infants and children of below 5 years of age. It is believed that to protect the children from drishti(Evil eye).Second day is pongal (Makara sankranthi or Makara sankramanam),the direction of Sun god changes direction towards north(Sun God entering the zodiac sign Capricorn(Makara in Sanskrit ). On this special day sweet pongal is prepared with newly harvested rice in a earthen pot with cow milk and this  is offered to God. Traditional foods are prepared and offer them to pithrudevathalu( ancestors who were died). They also make different patterns called muggu or rangoli infront of their homes on the ground. These are drawn with either rice flour decorated with flowers, keeping gobbemma(made with cow dung) in the middle of the muggu or chalk or with limestone powder mixed with different colours.

Third day kanuma festival. Worshipping cattle and decorating cows, Buffaloes with their horns painted,tied around neck with tinkling bells. Fourth and last day is mukkanuma. Non vegetarians cook meat this day and invite families for the feast. On this occasion there are lots of fun activities like kite flying, cock fighting, bullock racing etc. Another important thing particularly this day is Haridasu(servant of Hari, lord Vishnu) singing devotional songs. He gets dressed in an unique way with a bowl on his head and carries thambura(musical instrument) and visits every house for bhiksha( bhiksha is the meal served to a monk according to Hindu tradition). In villages still we could see this culture.

Now it’s time to celebrate pongal /sankranthi with utmost devotion and also fun filled moments. We prepare so many dishes like sweet pongal, vada, dal, rasam and more. So this time I wanted  my recipe simple to prepare and very easy,delicious too.Today I Am going to prepare pongal with sugar instead of jaggery. Here I present sweet pongal with sugar for this pongal/sankranthi festival. Njoy Cooking,Serving n Savoring!

Ingredients:

Rice: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 cup

Chana dal: 1 tbsp

Cardamom pods: 4/5 nos.

Edible camphor(Pacha karpooram): A pinch

Water: 4 cups

Milk: 1 cup

Ghee: 1 tbsp

Dry fruits: cashews, almonds,pistachios n raisins(Few).

Method of preparation:

1. Take one cup of rice and 1 tbsp of chana dal in a heavy bottomed vessel. Rinse thoroughly with water.

2. Now heat vessel and pour 4 cups of water in rice and dal mixture.

3. Cook on low flame stirring occasionally.

4. When it’s 3/4 th cooked add crushed cardamom powder and edible camphor. Mix thoroughly.

5. Now keep stirring continuously to avoid sticking to the pan.

6. When it’s completely cooked add sugar into it and mix well. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Switch off the stove and add milk.

7. Slightly Crush the dry fruits in a mortar pestle. Now take a small Kadai pour ghee and first fry the cashews,almonds and pistachios  till they change into light golden brown colour.

8. Now add raisins to the fried dry fruits and fry them till they puff up well.

9. Now pour the fried dry fruits onto the Pongal. Mix well.

10. If you are preparing the dish on festive occasions offer to God and consume it as a Prasadam.

11. Now the piping hot sugar Pongal is ready to relish and can be served in a serving bowl.

Tips:

1. In this sugar Pongal recipe I have added only chana dal. If you like moong dal(yellow lentils) can also be added.

2. I have cooked rice and chana dal with water first and later added milk. If you want more creamy and rich flavour, rice can be cooked directly with milk instead of water. And sugar should be added at the last once rice is cooked and after switching off the stove. Otherwise sometimes milk may curdle.

3. I have made the Pongal using heavy bottomed vessel. Instead of that you can steam it in a pressure cooker. But add only 3 cups of water to 1 cup of rice if cooking in a pressure cooker n allow it to get 6 whistles.