GROUNDNUT / VERKADALAI SAKKARAI PONGAL

Sweet Rice Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal is an auspicious neivedhyam dish for many festivals. It is one of the easiest sweet recipe that we can make with less effort. Traditionally sakkarai pongal is prepared with rice and moong dhal, but here a little twist to the conventional way of preparing Sakkarai Pongal substituting rice with boiled raw groundnuts and I have not added  moong dhal instead I added grated coconut which enhances the taste of this verkadalai/ groundnut pongal. . Try this version and share your experience……..

INGREDIENTS

Raw  groundnuts                                - 200grams
Jaggery                                                  - 1 cup grated

Freshly grated coconut                       - 1oo grams
Dry ginger powder / chukka podi     - ¼ tsp

Cardamom                                             -  1/4 tsp powder 
 Ghee                                                        - ¼ cup  

    

    

FOR GARNISHING

Raw Groundnuts                   - 10 to 12 nos

Ghee                                       - 1 tbsp

METHOD

Pressure cook the groundnuts adding enough water for 8 to 10 whistles or till soft.

Drain the excess water and keep aside.

Keep separately ¼ cup to ½ cup of cooked groundnuts for grinding.

 Heat 1/4 cup of water in a pan and add jaggery to it. When it dissolves, strain  it to remove impurities.

Boil jaggery water with a tsp of ghee on medium heat.

Take a cup of water, add a tsp of jaggery syrup to it, if it does not dissolve, then it is the right stage to add cooked ground nuts.(I make it very clear - you do not have to boil the jaggery water until it reaches sticky consistency or string consistency) .

Add half of the ghee at this stage .

Meanwhile grind ¼ cup of groundnuts, grated coconuts, cardamom powder and dry ginger/ chukka podi.

Add this to the jiggery groundnut mixture and mix well and add remaining ghee and mix well.

Cook in medium flame till everything gets blended well.

Fry groundnuts in a bsp of ghee till it turns golden brown colour.

Garnish the groundnut / verkadalai chakkara pongal with the fried groundnuts.

Yummy healthy groundnut / verkadalai sakkarai pongal is ready to serve.

Enjoy this pongal with this unique verkadalai / groundnut sakkarai pongal.