Thinai Arisi Sakkarai Pongal | Foxtail Millet Sweet Pongal

Happy Pongal! Pongalo Pongal! 

Thinai Arisi Sakkarai Pongal – Foxtail Millet cooked with jaggery and milk; finally drizzled with an enormous amount of Ghee; A delicious concoction and each spoon just take you to heaven.

This year, as I have mentioned in my older posts, I have been experimenting with millets and trying to incorporate them in all possible ways in my meal. Today, I have experimented the luscious Pongal with Foxtail Millet. You can also use other variety of millets – Little Millet, Kodo Millet etc.

Without much gyaan, here I am presenting the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Foxtail Millet /Thinai Arisi ( 1 cup = 250 ml)
• ½ cup Moong Dal
• 1 ¼ cup Jaggery
• ½ cup Milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
• 2 tablespoon Cashew Nuts
• 2 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon Ghee
• Salt, as required
• 4 cups  + 2 tablespoons Water
• 1 tablespoon Raisins (optional)

Method:

• Wash millet in running water until the water runs out clearly
• Soak Millet in water and keep aside. Soak about an hour
• Wash Moong dal with water and soak in water for about an hour. Keep aside.
• Once the dal is dried completely, heat half teaspoon of ghee in a pan; Add moong dal and roast over medium heat until nice flavor comes and dal turns light golden color
• In a pressure cooker, add roasted dal, soaked millet, salt and 4 cups of water. Cook for 3 whistles and keep it aside. Allow it to release pressure completely
• Meanwhile, in a pan add 2 tablespoons of water and jaggery. Cook over medium flame until the jaggery melts completely. Ensure not to boil.
• Strain the jaggery water to avoid any impurities
• Once the pressure is released, add jaggery water to the rice and cook on low flame for about 3-4 minutes until the raw smell of jaggery goes off
• Add 2 tablespoon of ghee to the rice. Combine them well. Add more ghee if you want rich texture
• Now add milk and cook over medium flame for about 2 minutes
• Sprinkle cardamom powder. Switch off the flame and remove the cooker from heat
• In a small pan, add ½ teaspoon ghee and roast cashews over medium flame until it turns golden in color.
• Add roasted cashews to the Pongal and serve warmly.

Enjoy delicious Pongal with your family and friends! Let this Pongal bring so much happiness to your life like the sweetness in the Pongal.

If you try the recipe, do let me know how they tasted in comments. If you like space, do like and follow my profile at here – Facebook, Google, Instagram

Thanks,

Karthi