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Chakkarapongal

Sakkarapongal or Chakkarapongal is a sweet porridge made with rice, dal, jaggery, milk and garnished with ghee roasted nuts and fruits. There are many methods to make it using a traditional brass pot, in the instant pot or a pressure cooker.
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw rice
  • ⅛ cup moong dal
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • a pinch of edible camphor
  • 2 tbsp cashews
  • 2 tbsp raisins
  • 1.5 cups jaggery
  • ¼ cup water for making jaggery syrup

Instructions

Vengala Pannai / Brass Pot Method

  • To a pan, add 2 tbsp ghee and roast cashews and raisins. There should still be some ghee left. Remove the cashews/raisins and set aside.
  • To a vengala pannai, add one cup each of milk and water and let it come to a boil
  • As it boils, keep stirring and once it comes to a full rolling boil – scream Pongalaooo pongal! ( or you don't have to as well)
  • Now, add the washed and drained rice and dal and keep stirring.
  •  Ensure the pot is in low to medium flame and not high.It will take about 30 minutes to cook.
  • Add a tbsp of ghee in between. The ghee helps to reduce over boiling.
  • Keep stirring and add water as required to cook the rice and dal.
  • In a seperate pan, make a jaggery syrup with 1½ cups jaggery and ¼ cup water. Stir until it dissolves fully, filter and add the jaggery syrup.
  • Once the rice and dal is fully cooked, add the jaggery syrup. Make sure the jaggery syrup is cooler than the pongal mixture. Else, it may curdle if you add hot jaggery to hot milk.
  • Finally, add one tsp cardamom and a pinch of edible camphor. Mix all and let it simmer for ten minutes before serving. Add the fried nuts on top and serve ( to God or to yourselves!)

Instant Pot Method ( I use a 6qt )

  • In a IP, turn to Saute mode. Add 2 tbsp ghee and roast cashews and raisins. There should still be some ghee left. Remove the cashews/raisins and set them aside.
  • Now, add more ghee if you need and add the drained rice and dal.
  • Add the milk and water. Mix well. Cancel saute, and IP on high pressure cook mode 12 minutes. 
  • It does not matter if you do natural or quick release at this stage.
  • Add 1.5 cups of powdered jaggery and mix well. ( or make a jaggery syrup as explained in the pressure cooker/brass pot method).
  • Pressure cook mode again 5 minutes. Finally, add one tsp cardamom and a pinch of edible camphor. Mix all and let it simmer for ten minutes before serving. Add the fried nuts on top and serve ( to God or to yourselves!)
  • If you are not using readily cleaned and powdered jaggery, make a syrup with the jaggery and ¼ cup water, filter and add to the cooked rice and dal. Make sure the jaggery syrup is cooler than the Pongal mixture. Else, it may curdle if you add hot jaggery to hot milk.

Pressure Cooker Method

  • In a pressure cooker ,ad 2 tbsp ghee and roast cashews and raisins. There should still be some ghee left. Remove the cashews/raisins and set them aside.
  • Now, add more ghee if you need and add the drained rice and dal.
  • Add the milk and water. Close and pressure cook in medium to low flame for 4 whistles.
  • In a seperate pan, make a jaggery syrup with 1½ cups jaggery and ¼ cup water. Stir until it dissolves fully, filter and add the jaggery syrup.
  • Once the rice and dal is fully cooked, add the jaggery syrup. At this stage, if the dish requires more water add hot water.
  • Make sure the jaggery syrup is cooler than the pongal mixture. Else, it may curdle if you add hot jaggery to hot milk.
  • Finally, add one tsp cardamom and a pinch of edible camphor. Mix all and let it simmer on a low flame for ten minutes before serving. Add the fried nuts on top and serve ( to God or to yourselves!)

Notes

Cooking in Vengala Pannai/Brass Pot notes
  • Always cook in low to medium flame to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pot. Adequate ghee also ensures there is no sticking/burning. 
  • At at stage, if you feel the pongal is drying - add more water to adjust consistency.
  • The whole process ( for 1/2 cup rice) takes about 35-40 minutes. I reccomend staying around in the kitchen and stirring it to ensure it cooks well. 
Cooking in IP/pressure cooker notes
  • The amount of liquid used will be lesser in closed pot cooking ( IP/PC) as compared to a open pot. It is also possible to add liquid after opening the cooker.
  • At any point, ensure that the pressure cooker is never more than half full. Otherwise, the liwuid may overflow and cause a mess.
  • Pongal will thicken as it cools and can be simmered to be thickened.