Sarkarai pongal is a traditional rice dish sweetened by jaggery with lots of ghee. I made this sweet pongal with thinai (foxtail millet) and a reduced amount of ghee. This is yummier than the traditional rice pongal. I have started making this with different millets, as this offers a different kind of nutrition. Thus healthier too! You can make this as dessert for your next party or make it on the Pongal festival (Indian Thanksgiving).
Ingredients:
Foxtail millet - 1 cup
Split moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup, grated
Cardamom - 2, crushed
Ghee - 6 tbsp
Cashews - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Water - 3 and 3/4 cups
Method:
Wash rice and split moong dhal. Add water, cover, and cook on a medium flame for about 20 min in a heavy bottom pan. By this time, both the millet and legume would have cooked down nicely to a slightly mushy texture which is perfect for pongal. Add the grated jaggery and cardamom. (if you know that it doesn't have any impurities). Continue stirring and cooking until all the jaggery is dissolved. Add 2 tbsp of ghee or melted butter and continue simmering for another 3 - 4 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get burnt at the bottom. Switch off the flame.
In another small pan, heat remaining ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add it to the sweet pongal, mix, and serve.
Tips:
1. This dish can be made with any millet or a mixture of them. I will post pictures of different millet sweet pongal soon.
2. To remove impurities from jaggery: Boil jaggery with a little amount of water till it dissolves. Filter and discard the impurities. This jaggery water can be added to the recipe.
3. If you are not conscious about calories, feel free to add another 4 tbsp of ghee. You will have a taste of heaven.
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