Sweet Poha (Panchakajjaya)

Ever wanted a quick sweet recipe that’s also deeply traditional and perfect for worship days?
Then you’re in the right kitchen! ✨

Sweet Poha — also known as Panchakajjaya in Karnataka is one of those comforting prasadams that brings instant nostalgia. Soft poha, rich jaggery, crunchy nuts, and the aroma of cardamom… this dish tastes like pure devotion!

Whether it’s Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, or your daily pooja, this recipe is a holy favorite and ready in just 10 minutes.

🌼 Why This Sweet Poha is Special

Panchakajjaya isn’t just a sweet…
It’s a combination of five ingredients — representing balance, prosperity, and blessings:

• Poha (Aval)
  
• Grated Coconut
  
• Sesame Seeds
  
• Jaggery
  
• Dry Fruits/Nuts
  

Ingredient Breakdown

• Flattened Poha — soft base that absorbs flavors beautifully
  
• Jaggery — offers natural sweetness + iron boost
  
• Sesame Seeds — mild nuttiness, great source of calcium
  
• Cashews/Raisins — festive crunch & chewiness
  
• Fresh Coconut — brings freshness and richness
  
• Cardamom — the aroma that makes it feel like prasadam
  
• Ghee — enhances taste + gives that temple-style finish
  

Pro Tip 💡: Use thin poha for a soft melt-in-mouth texture. Thicker varieties may need light sprinkling of water.

Let’s Make It Together

Start by warming your pan gently — no rush, this is prasadam we’re making!

First, roast your sesame seeds until they turn a lovely golden shade and start crackling slightly. That aroma? Yep — perfection.

Then go in with a touch of ghee to fry cashews until they develop that deep festive glow. Raisins follow right after — wait till they puff like tiny balloons and scoop them all out.

Now for the heart of the recipe — jaggery syrup.
Just melt jaggery with a splash of water until smooth and slightly thick — not sticky or stringy. When it glistens, you know it’s ready.

In a wide plate, spread your fresh poha. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds, the fried goodies, freshly grated coconut, and cardamom powder.

Finally, drizzle that warm jaggery syrup over everything…
and mix gently with your hands — because prasadam always tastes better when mixed with love!That’s it — your traditional Sweet Poha is ready!

How to Serve It

Serve it fresh as a Naivedyam first, then distribute to everyone as prasadam.
It tastes best slightly warm or at room temperature.

What Goes Along?

• Banana or any fresh fruit — a traditional and divine pairing for prasadam.
  
• Sundal (any variety) — balances the sweet with a hearty protein snack during festivals.
  
• Curd Rice — makes a complete, comforting naivedyam spread.
  
• Appam or Neer Dosa — if serving as part of breakfast during pooja days.
  
• Chai or Filter Coffee — for enjoying Sweet Poha as an evening snack.
  

It also makes a great evening snack with chai on regular days!

Storage & Packing Tips

• Stays good for 6–8 hours at room temperature
  
• If storing longer, skip the coconut and add while serving fresh
  
• Great for snacks or temple visits — no refrigeration needed
  

Planning for Festivals or Parties?

Hosting a pooja at home? Easy!Just multiply the ingredients depending on your guest count.
No change in cooking method — only more blessings to go around.

Other Related Recipes You Might Like:-

• Poha Ladoo (Aval Laddu — Healthy) — sweet, light ladoos made from flattened rice and jaggery — closest sweet-poha cousin.
• Chakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal) — traditional jaggery-and-rice sweet, rich and festival-ready.
• Rava Kesari — saffron-scented semolina pudding — a soft, aromatic sweet.
• Rava Coconut Ladoo — semolina and coconut laddoos — coconutty, melt-in-mouth bites.
• Dry Fruit Ladoo — nutrient-dense festive laddoos loaded with nuts and dates.
• Jaggery Coconut Ladoo — naturally sweet coconut-jaggery ladoos — traditional and rustic.
• Puran Poli — sweet lentil-stuffed flatbread — hearty, festive and classic.

Print Recipe

Budget-Friendly

Sweet Poha (Panchakajjaya)

Author: Hema Subramanian Cooking Method: Sauteing Cuisine: Indian Courses: Dessert, Snacks Recipe Keys: B breakfast F Festive F festive sweet Gluten Free H Healthy H high fiber O One-Pot T Tasty V vegetarian

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 20 mins

Servings: 4 Calories: 393

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Dietary:

G Gluten Free H Heart-Healthy H High-Fiber I Iron-Rich V Vegetarian

Description

Sweet Poha, also known as Panchakajjaya, is a traditional prasadam made with flattened rice, jaggery, coconut, sesame and nuts. It’s quick to prepare, tastes divine, and is often offered during festivals and poojas. Soft, nutty and perfectly sweet, this recipe brings a beautiful temple-style flavor right into your home.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 2 cups flattened poha
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (white)
• handful broken cashew nuts (broken)
• handful raisins (plump)
• 100 g jaggery (grated or chopped)
• 2 tbsp water (for syrup)
• 1 cup grated coconut (fresh)
• 1 tsp cardamom powder (ground)
• 3 tsp ghee (divided)

Instructions

Prep Work

1. Break cashews

   Break cashews into small pieces and keep them ready.

2. Grate coconut

   Grate fresh coconut and keep it ready.

3. Measure ingredients

   Measure jaggery, poha, sesame, raisins, cardamom and ghee and keep everything within reach.
   

4. Set pan and utensils

   Keep a wide plate for mixing and a heavy-bottomed pan for roasting and syrup.

Method

1. Dry-roast sesame

   Dry-roast white sesame seeds in a pan over low flame until they turn golden and aromatic, about two to three minutes; transfer to a bowl and set aside.

   

2. Roast cashews

   In the same pan, add some ghee and roast broken cashews until golden brown; remove and set aside.

3. Fry raisins

   Add more ghee to the pan and fry raisins until they puff up; remove them and combine with the cashews.

4. Melt jaggery

   Prepare jaggery syrup: melt jaggery with water over medium flame and cook until it becomes a slightly thick syrup; stir in a small spoon of ghee and keep it warm.
   

5. Mix dry ingredients

   Place flattened poha on a wide plate; add the roasted sesame, cashews, raisins, grated coconut and cardamom powder.

6. Pour syrup and mix

   Pour the warm jaggery syrup over the poha mixture and gently mix everything with your hands until well combined.
   

7. Serve as neivedhyam

   Transfer to a serving plate and offer or serve warm.
   

Equipment

• bowl

  

  Round Glass/Mixing Bowl big (2100ml) Buy Now
• Pan

  

  Fry Pan (Non-Stick) with Glass Lid black Buy Now
• Spatula

  

  Heat Resistant Silicone Mickey Mouse Design Silicone Spatulas Set Buy Now

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Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 393kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 13.6g21%

Saturated Fat 8.5g43%

Cholesterol 8.7mg3%

Sodium 13.5mg1%

Potassium 472mg14%

Total Carbohydrate 65.7g22%

Dietary Fiber 3.3g14%

Sugars 29g

Protein 4.8g10%

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Calcium 47 mg

Iron 4.5 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Sweet Poha, Panchakajjaya, prasadam recipes, festive sweet, poha recipes

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