Chakkarai Pongal | Kovil Sakkarai Pongal

Name: Chakkarai Pongal | Kovil Sakkarai Pongal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: Raw Rice – 1/2 cup; Yellow moong dal – 2 tbsp; Grated Jaggery – 2 cups; Water – 4 + 1/4 cups; Milk – 2 cups; Cardamom – 1; Edible camphor – 1 pinch; Sukku Podi or Dry Ginger Powder - 1/2 tsp (Optional); Cashew nuts – 7 to 8; Ghee – 4 – 5 tbsp

Published: Jan 7, 2012 · Modified: Jan 12, 2021 by Radhika · This post may contain affiliate links · 35 Comments

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Chakkarai Pongal or Kovil Sakkarai pongal recipe with step by step photos. This sweet pongal is made on the first day of the Tamil of “Thai” for the harvest festival.

It is made using freshly harvested rice from the fields along with jaggery to sweeten it and with spices like cardamom, camphor, nutmeg to make it more flavourful.

During the recent years, I have stopped making chakkarai pongal in Pressure cooker. Though it is easy, I prefer cooking it in an open vessel as I love the texture, flavor and taste of it.

It will be exactly like the Pongal given in temples as prasadhams. I personally feel that Pongal, when made in a pressure cooker, becomes dense and hard as it cools down to room temperature.

Also the cleaning of the starch and residue released from the vent afterwards makes it cumbersome.

I recently made it for “Vaikundha Ekadashi” so thought I would share it with you all.

Not only for pongal festival you can make this for all festive occasions as prasadham.

If you thought that making chakkarai pongal in an open vessel will take more time then you are mistaken. It took me just 35-40 min to complete the entire process.

I chose to cook it in a wide kadai as it gets done quicker and also easy to click.

Traditionally we use a 'vengala paanai' (bronze pot) to cook pongal according to our custom but you can also use a clay pot to cook this on the “Pongal” day and follow the same steps.

Recipe Notes:

1. The quantity of water will depend on the quality of rice used. If the rice is new it needs less water and cooks quickly, if it old then more water and more time.

2. If you feel that the rice is not done and there is no water left further to cook, add more water after heating it. Never add cold water.

3. The color and taste of the pongal will depend on the quality of the jaggery you use. I chose “Paagu Vellam” for its dark color and the flavor it gives to the pongal. But traditionally they use “Achchu Vellam” during pongal day.

4. Adjust the quantity of jaggery according to your sweet tooth and you can avoid milk and use water alone for cooking.

5. Along with Edible camphor you can also use Dry ginger powder (Sukku) or nutmeg powder for enhanced taste.

Chakkarai Pongal recipe with step wise photos:

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the Yellow moong Dal (paasi paruppu) over a low flame till the aroma arises taking care not to change its color.

2. Wash rice and soak for 10 mins.

3. Meanwhile grate and measure jaggery. Measure ¼ cup of water in a vessel and put the grated jaggery in it. Mix well and then keep it on the stove and heat it. Stir till the jaggery completely dissolves.

4. Pass the jaggery syrup through a fine sieve to remove any impurities. Return the syrup to the vessel and bring it to a bubbling boil. No need for any string consistency. Keep it aside.

5. Heat a wide bottomed pan with milk and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add both the rice and moong dal. Mix well and close with a lid leaving a small opening and let it cook over medium flame.

6. Keep stirring the rice in between and by the time you finish the above steps the rice would have been cooked, mushy. All the water and milk would have been absorbed and it will be in a semi solid state. When pressed between your fingers it should be easily mashable and appear mushy.

7. Now add the jaggery syrup and mix well. You will see the pongal liquefying again but not to worry. Cook for another 7-10 min over medium-low flame till it further thickens again.

8. Heat 2 teaspoon of ghee and roast the cashew nuts to a golden brown and keep it aside. Pound the cardamom seeds and keep it ready. Discard the skin.

9. To the chakkarai pongal add crushed cardamom seeds, edible camphor (pachcha karpooram), ghee roasted cashew nuts and the remaining ghee and mix well and cook for a minute.

10. Transfer to the serving bowl and serve hot with some ghee drizzled on top.

More pongal recipes for you

Paal Pongal

Thinai Sakkarai pongal

Kalkandu pongal

Varagu arisi ven pongal

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Chakkarai Pongal Recipe details below: