Ever had a spoonful of warm, sweet pongal and felt like you were sitting in a temple hall?
That’s Sweet Pongal, also known as Sakkarai Pongal (or Chakkarai Pongal). A South Indian prasadam classic made with rice, moong dal, jaggery and ghee. It’s creamy, slightly grainy, aromatic with cardamom and with fried cashews and raisins.
If you want festival-level flavor with a home cook’s ease, this is your recipe.
Sakkarai Pongal (sweet pongal) is traditionally offered as prasadam in South Indian temples during harvest and festival seasons.
The dish symbolizes abundance — rice and jaggery (nature’s sweetness) cooked together, finished with ghee and nuts. Over generations, it became the go-to sweet for home poojas and family gatherings.
🌿 Vegan Swap: Replace ghee with high-quality coconut oil for a vegan version but still delicious and festival-worthy.
First, you roast the moong dal lightly so it gets a toasted, nutty backbone. Toss the dal with washed rice and a splash of ghee, add water and cook until utterly soft — traditionally in a pressure cooker so the rice and dal become tender and a little porridge-like. Meanwhile you melt jaggery into a syrup (strain it for clarity); this syrup is what transforms cooked rice into sakkarai pongal.
Once the rice–dal mix is ready, you fold in the jaggery syrup over low heat and stir gently until the mixture turns glossy and slightly thickened. Finish by tempering in ghee: roast cashews till golden, sizzle coconut pieces and raisins till they puff, then pour these over the pongal. A dusting of cardamom and one or two spoonfuls of warm ghee at the end is non-negotiable for that authentic temple aroma.
💡 Pro Tip: Melt jaggery with a little water and strain before adding. This removes impurities and prevents grainy texture. Also, add jaggery only after the rice is cooked — adding it early can make the rice grainy or tough.
Texture note: Aim for spoon-coating consistency — slightly loose on the plate but not runny. It will thicken a bit as it cools.
Serve warm in small bowls, finish each portion with a spoonful of hot ghee and a few roasted cashews on top. For temple-style authenticity, offer it on banana leaves or simple stainless steel bowls.
Sweet Pongal (Sakkarai Pongal/Chakkarai Pongal) is a traditional South Indian dish made during festivals like Pongal and Makar Sankranti. It’s a rich, comforting dessert prepared by cooking rice and moong dal together, then sweetened with jaggery and flavored with ghee, cardamom, and a generous topping of cashews and raisins. This warm, aromatic dish symbolizes prosperity and is often offered as prasadam in temples.
Wash the raw rice under running water until water runs clear, then drain.
Dry roast the moong dal on medium heat until it smells nutty and turns light golden, then keep aside.
Add the roasted moong dal to the washed rice, mix briefly, and add water with a little ghee.
Open the cooker, pour in the jaggery syrup and gently mix on low flame so everything blends and becomes glossy.
Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately while warm and aromatic.Servings 4
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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