Sihi huggi | sweet pongal | sakkarai pongal step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
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About this recipe
Sihi huggi (also known as sweet pongal, sakkarai pongal or chakkara pongal) is a Makar Sankranti special traditional dish that is hugely popular in south India and Srilanka. Traditionally, this dish is made with freshly harvested grains. This refined sugar-free dessert is made with rice, moong dal, ghee, and jaggery as the main ingredients.
Makara Sankranti or Maghi, is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the deity Surya. It is observed each year in the lunar month of Magha which corresponds with the month of January as per the Gregorian calendar. This usually falls on the 14th or 15th of January and the people of India celebrate their harvest.
I have earlier shared the recipe of huggi or khara pongal. This is the sweet version of it and an integral part of Makar Sankranti celebrations in Karnataka.
Ingredients
Rice: I make this dish with Basmati rice; however, any Indian variety of rice works well with this dish.
Moong dal: Moong dal (mung dal) or yellow lentils is used here (similar to khara pongal).
Jaggery: This refined sugar-free dessert is made with jaggery. However, if jaggery is not available, you may replace it with raw sugar.
Ghee: Like most Indian sweets, this dish is made with ghee.
Cashew and raisin: A good amount of cashew and raisin goes into making this dish.
Coconut: Dried or dessicated coconut is used in this sweet dish.
This traditional sweet dish is made along with khara huggi for an amazing meal.
Tips for making the best sweet Pongal
Don’t over roast the moong dal, else it will take a long time to cook. At the same time, don’t skip dry-roasting the moong dal, else it will become sticky.
Add water and adjust consistency as per your preference. You can either keep it dry and make it slightly runny (which I prefer). Make sure you simmer well after adding water until it comes together.
Once the sweet Pongal is done, drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee on top and mix.
This dish tastes best when made with jaggery. However, if jaggery is not available, you may replace it with raw sugar.
You may replace water with milk for a richer taste.
Sweet Pongal served in temples has a small amount of camphor added to it. You may add a small pinch of camphor.
Click here for more refined sugar-free desserts.
Click here for more festival food recipes.
Bonus
This sweet Pongal is:
- traditional and authentic recipe
- perfect for festivals
- easy to make and suitable for beginners
Step by step instructions
1. Dry roast the moong dal until aromatic (a few minutes)
2. Mix with rice and wash thoroughly. Cook rice and dal mixture with 2 cups of water in a rice cooker or pressure cooker
3. Heat ghee in a kadhai or frying pan. Add cashew and fry until lightly golden
4. Add raisins and fry for a few seconds
5. Add dry coconut and mix well
6. Add the dal-rice mix, jaggery, 1 cup water and combine well
7. Simmer for a few minutes until the jaggery completely melts and excess moisture evaporates
8. Add cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon ghee
Recipe card
Sihi huggi | Sweet pongal | Sakkarai pongal
Ingredients
- ½ cup rice
- ½ cup split green gram (moong dal)
- ¾ cup jaggery grated
- ¼ cup ghee plus 1 tbsp
- ½ cup coconut dried or desiccated
- ¼ cup cashew
- ¼ cup raisin
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Dry roast the moong dal until aromatic (a few minutes)
- Mix with rice and wash thoroughly. Cook rice and dal mixture with 2 cups of water in a rice cooker or pressure cooker
- Heat ghee in a kadhai or fry pan. Add cashew and fry until lightly golden
- Add raisins and fry for a few seconds. Add dry coconut and mix well
- Add the dal-rice mix, jaggery, 1 cup water and combine well
- Simmer for a few minutes until the jaggery completely melts and excess moisture evaporates
- Add cardamom powder and mix well
- Add 1 tablespoon ghee and mix well
- Serve hot with huggi
Video
Click here to watch sihi huggi / sweet pongal web story.
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