Aval Sakkarai Pongal – Poha Sweet Pongal

Aval Sakkarai Pongal is the quickest sweet that can be made during festivals. As Pongal festival is approaching I thought of posting this recipe. Unlike the usual Sakkarai Pongal, there is not much cooking involved in this recipe. It is very easy with just a very few ingredients..

Now to the recipe…

[Preparation Time-5 mins : Cooking Time- 15 mins]

Ingredients:

• Aval/Poha – 1 cup
• Jaggery/Vellam – 3/4 cup
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts – few (broken)
• Cardamom powder – a generous pinch

Method:

• Rinse aval/poha and soak it in water. Heat a pan with 1/2 the ghee and roast the broken cashew nuts until golden brown. Keep them aside.

• Meanwhile take jaggery and powder it.  Add water upto immersing level and heat it. Bring it to a boil, no consistency is required.

• Strain the jaggery syrup to remove impurities. Take the jaggery syrup and rinsed/soaked poha and heat it up. Keep stirring in medium flame for a few mins. It should be in a semi-thick consistency. Now add cardamom powder, remaining ghee and roasted cashew nuts and mix. Switch off the flame.

Thats’it!! Aval Sakkarai Pongal is ready.

Serve as neivedhyam and enjoy hot, topped with a dollop of ghee!!

Tips:

1. Add very less water to soak aval/poha, only about a few table spoons.
2. Begin the recipe by soaking the aval. Soaking time would be perfect by the time u roast the cashews and get ready with the jaggery syrup.
3. Aval Sakkarai Pongal will thicken once it cools, so switch off accordingly.
4. Do not add more water to jaggery syrup, else it will take a little longer to get the right consistency.
5. U can also add fried raisins.
6. The colour of Aval Sakkarai Pongal depends upon the jaggery/vellam u use.