Thinai Sarkarai Pongal/Foxtail Millet Sweet Pongal
This is a delicious dessert made with foxtail millet, split yellow moong dal, jaggery, with a hint of cardamom and with a tempering of cashews and raisins in ghee.
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Servings: 12
Equipment
- Sauce pot, Instant pot or Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Foxtail millet/Thinai
- 1/4 cup Split yellow moong dhal
- 1 to 11/4 cup Jaggery grated
- 2 Cardamom crushed
- 6 tbsp Ghee
- 10 Cashews halved
- 2-3 tbsp Raisins
Instructions
Stove top Method
- Wash foxtail millet and split moong dhal. Add water, cover, and cook on a medium flame for about 20 min in a heavy bottom pan. By this time, both the millet and legume would have cooked down nicely to a slightly mushy texture which is perfect for pongal
- Add the grated jaggery and cardamom.Continue stirring and cooking until all the jaggery is dissolved. Add 2 tbsp of ghee or melted butter and continue simmering for another 3 - 4 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get burnt at the bottom. Switch off the flame.
- In another small pan, heat remaining ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add it to the sweet pongal, mix, and serve.
Instant Pot Method
- Wash and add the foxtail millet and dal to the instant pot. Add water, close the Instant Pot. Set it on rice mode. This can be cooked in High pressure mode for 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally
- In the meantime, dissolve jaggery by simmering in half cup of water. Filter and add it to the millet mixture.
- Add the crushed cardamom and mix thoroughly. Switch on the Instant Pot to porridge mode and cook stirring often for 2-3 minutes to prevent scalding at the bottom. Switch off.
- In another small pan, heat remaining ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add it to the sweet pongal, mix, and serve.
Traditional Pressure Cooker Method
- Add the foxtail millet and rice to the pressure cooker after washing. Add 3 and 3/4 cup water and cook for three whistles.
- Then add the jaggery water, crushed cardamom and cook for 3-4 minutes on the stove top. In another small pan, heat remaining ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry till golden. Add it to the sweet pongal, mix, and serve.
Notes
1. To remove impurities from jaggery: Boil jaggery with a little amount of water till it dissolves. Filter and discard the impurities. This jaggery water can be added to the recipe.
2. If you are not conscious about calories, feel free to add another 4 tbsp of ghee. You will have a taste of heaven.
3. The pongal thickens on cooling. Reheat and serve, the consistency will be back. If needed add a little water.