Time: 55 min.
Complexity: average
Servings: 8

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in southern India, during which this dessert is served. Traditionally, it's made from freshly harvested rice and mung beans and sweetened with jaggery, an Indian sugar with a rich, caramelized flavor. The porridge is generously flavored with ghee for a velvety texture, then sprinkled with cashews for a pleasant crunch. It's served hot, a warming winter dessert. Leftovers make a delicious breakfast the next day.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 tbsp. chopped masha
• 0.5 tbsp. rice, basmati or jasmine
• 1 and 1/4 cups jaggery powder
• 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
• 3 tbsp. clarified butter (ghee)
• 0.5 cup raw cashews, leave a few whole for garnish and crush the rest
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Special equipment: Instant Pot 6L Multicooker.

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

basmati rice, jasmine rice, ghee, cardamom, cashew nuts, raisin

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Place the mung beans and rice in a medium skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan every 15 seconds to ensure even toasting, until the rice is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
• Place the mung beans and rice in a bowl and rinse several times in cold water until the water is no longer cloudy, about 3 times. Drain.
Step 3
• Place the mung beans and rice in a slow cooker and add 3.5 cups of water. Following the manufacturer's instructions, close the lid and prepare the slow cooker. Set the pressure cooker to 6 minutes. Once the cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's instructions to allow the pressure to release naturally. After about 25 minutes, carefully open and remove the lid to avoid scalding yourself with steam. Gently mash the mixture with a fork until it reaches a porridge-like consistency.
Step 4
• Add jaggery, cardamom, and 2 tablespoons ghee. Set the slow cooker to saute and cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until all the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. This dish thickens as it cools, so if you're not serving it right away, add a little water and reheat before serving..
Step 5
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cashews are golden and the raisins are plump, 3–4 minutes. Set aside a few raisins and whole cashews for garnish, and stir the rest into the porridge. Garnish with the remaining cashews and raisins and serve.
Step 6

• Chef's Note

  
  Jaggery is made from palm sap or sugarcane. Use light brown sugar instead. I would start with 1 cup of brown sugar and add more to taste.
  
  Cardamom can be used ground, but you can also grind 4-5 green cardamom pods in a spice grinder or scoop out the seeds from 8-9 cardamom pods and grind them in a mortar and pestle.

Votes: 1

Author of the recipe - Nidhi Jalan is a sculptor, painter and participant in art exhibitions in India.