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Chakkara Pongal
Serves 4
60 mins
350 Kcal
Rich and aromatic, Chakkara Pongal delivers a delightful combination of the warmth of rice moong dal and jaggery and flavours of ghee, cardamom, and cashews. It is an excellent way for people to celebrate harvests. Chakkara pongal is generally an offering in temples. To make this yummy chakkara pongal recipe, roast a fistful of moong dal (yellow lentils) until golden brown in a pan. In another pot, cook rice and moong dal together with water until the rice and moong dal are well-cooked and mushy. Jaggery must be added and mixed well to melt into the rice and dal. Use jaggery as much as desired. Boil ghee in a small pan, add cashews, raisins, and a pinch of cardamom powder, and fry until both the nuts and the raisins turn golden brown and emit a perfect fragrance; add this mixture to prepared Pongal and mix everything. Serve Chakkara Pongal warm. Savour this dessert and enjoy the warmth and satisfaction of this delicious, indulgent dish. The earthy flavour of the moong dal, the sweetness of jaggery, and the richness of ghee just make it a tremendous comforting treat, much more than what taste says; it is the celebration of tradition and culture.
Ingredients required for Chakkara Pongal
- 100 gms basmati rice
- 200 gms jaggery
- 50 gms moong dal
- 50 gms ghee
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 10 gms raisins
- 10 gms cashews
Cooking steps for Chakkara Pongal
- 1Wash 100 gms of rice and 50 gms of moong dal entirely in water.
- 2The base of the dish is rice and dal, and soaking them for 30 minutes will ensure they cook well and blend well together.
- 3Now transfer the rice and dal into a pressure cooker with 500 ml of water.
- 4Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook the rice and dal for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.
- 5Once cooked, let it release the pressure, and then you can open the lid to gently mash the mixture of cooked rice and dal; slight mashing creates the perfect texture for this dish.
- 6Let's prepare the jaggery syrup for Chakkara Pongal preparation.
- 7Heat the mixture of jaggery 200 gms with water 100 ml on low flame and keep stirring from time to time so that the jaggery dissolves in water properly.
- 8Once the jaggery dissolves, pass the syrup through a fine sieve so that the result is a delicate and smooth syrup.
- 9Now that we have the jaggery syrup ready and the rice and dal mixture cooked and mashed, it is just the right time to mix the two.
- 10Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal mixture, stirring slowly to mix well. Simmer over a low flame for 10 minutes, till the jaggery syrup infuses its rich sweetness into the rice and the dal.
- 11Let's prepare the garnish.
- 12Heat 50 gms of ghee, as found in many sweet dishes made in South India, and fry ten gms cashew along with ten gms of raisins.
- 13Once the rice and dal mixture is done, add the cashews, raisins, and ghee along with 1/2 Tsp of cardamom powder.
- 14Cook again for the next 5 minutes on a low flame.
- 15Chakkara Pongal is ready to be served.
- 16The recipe of Chakkara Pongal is a favourite in many households and is sure to be a hit every time you make it. Enjoy it with friends and family.
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FAQs
What is Chakkara Pongal, and when is it generally prepared?
Chakkara Pongal is a sweet dish in South Indian cuisine. This dish is prepared with rice and moong dal (yellow lentils) using jaggery, which is coated with ghee and garnished with cardamom. It is mainly prepared during the Tamil festival, Pongal, and other special occasions or auspicious days. The dish is characterised by its rich sweetness, and it's often served in bakeries and at festivals.
Can Chakkara Pongal be cooked in a pressure cooker?
Yes, Chakkara Pongal can be easily prepared in a pressure cooker. Boil rice with the moong dal and water in a pressure cooker until it becomes soft. Once soft, add the melted jaggery, ghee, and cardamom and cook for another few minutes until all flavours combine. It saves a lot of time using a pressure cooker.
How do you store the left-over Chakkara Pongal?
The leftover Chakkara Pongal can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. You can add a small amount of ghee or warm water because it tends to dry upon reheating. You can also store it in an airtight container and put it in the freezer for a longer shelf life.