Indian sweetened rice (pongal) recipe

Recipe for indian sweetened rice (pongal) in our easy ethnic recipes collection. Southern indian cooks serve this dish to commemorate the rice harvest festival. Pongal can be sweet or salty, but this sweet version is more common. Although indians wait for the mixture to boil over, pongal tastes just as good when it stays in the pot.

Recipe ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice, or other long-grain white rice
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups jaggery, or loosely packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons ghee or butter
• 1/4 cup coconut, grated or flaked
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons cashews or almonds, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

How to make indian sweetened rice (pongal)

• Rinse the rice, soak it in water for 15 minutes, and drain.
• Bring milk and water to a boil.
• Add rice, cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until rice is brown sugar tender. If the liquid is absorbed before the mixture softens, add water in 1/4 cup quantities until rice is fully cooked.
• Reduce heat and stir in jaggery or brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the ghee or butter.
• In a separate small pan, fry the coconut, raisins, and nuts in the remaining ghee or butter until mixture turns golden. Transfer to the rice mixture.
• Sprinkle in the cardamom and nutmeg. Stir well and serve hot.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

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