Karupatti Pongal (Palm Jaggery Pongal)

- Submitted by Dahlia

(Panai Vellam Pongal, Sweet Rice)

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Karupatti Pongal is a variation of the traditional South Indian sweet pongal. Instead of the usual jaggery, here palm jaggery (karupatti) is used for sweetening the dish. Pongal is an aromatic and flavorful sweet dish often prepared during festivals or special occasions. As we all know Karupatti (palm jaggery) is a much healthier choice than other form of sweeteners. Since the traditional festival of Tamilnadu i.e. Pongal is round the corner, I thought of sharing this recipe. Try it out for a change.

Recipe for Karupatti Pongal

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Raw Rice – 1 cup
• Paasi Paruppu (Split Yellow Moong Dal) – 1/2 cup
• Palm Jaggery (Karupatti) - 1 cup (grated)
• Ghee -1/4 cup
• Cashews – 2 tbsp (chopped)
• Raisins – 2 tbsp (optional)
• Cardamom pods – 4 (crushed)
• Edible camphor – a pinch (optional)
• Salt – a pinch

Method

1. Wash the rice and lentils together, drain the water and set aside.
2. In a large pot or pressure cooker take the drained rice, lentils and 4 cups of water.
3. Add a pinch of salt and cook them for 3 whistles or until they are soft and mushy.
4. In the meantime, take a separate sauce pan, melt the grated karupatti with 2-3 tbsp of water to form a thick syrup.
5. Strain the syrup to remove any impurities. Add this karupatti syrup to the cooked rice and lentils mixture.
6. In a small pan, heat 2-3 tbsp of ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped cashews and raisins, and toast until they turn golden brown. Add this also to the pongal mix.
7. Crush the cardamom pods and add to the pongal. Also add a pinch of edible camphor if desired.
8. Mix everything together, switch on the flame again and cook on low heat until the pongal thickens.
9. Add little hot water if required and continue cooking the pongal until it reaches the desired consistency.
10. Switch off, add 2-3 tbsp of ghee and keep it covered for few minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestion

• Server the hot Karupatti Pongal as a standalone breakfast dish or as a snack.

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