Akkaravadisal / akkara adisil is made majorly in Iyengar homes similar to sakkarai pongal. Milk, saffron, oodles of ghee and creamy texture.

But with slight differences. I have never tried this at home, but have tasted in SRC mess when I was staying in hostel. It was oozing with ghee and yummy.
After that I haven’t tasted or tried to make at home. Once I watched in a TV show (anjaraipetti I guess) 2 years back. A old mami demonstrated the process.
👩🍳 Difference
That mami in the show told the main thing in this is the milk/ water ratio with which the rice and payatham paruppu is cooked, as well as the amount of ghee. She said ghee should be added more for delicious akkaravadisal.
The taste of this traditional sweet akkaravadisal is also different from the sakkarai pongal. This akkaravadisal tastes rich, smooth, creamy and saffron adds a mild rich flavor.
📝 My notes
- After the rice is cooked, mash it well as you add milk smoothly. Otherwise, you may end up, not so smooth texture. There may be lumps if it cools.
- Use new harvest rice for creamy results. (Pudhu arisi)
- I added jaggery as such. You can also make jaggery syrup and filter to use if you have impurities.
- Adding a pinch of salt will balance the flat taste in the sweet.
- Colour depends purely on the jaggery's colour. Paagu vellam, darker in shade gives golden colour.
Wishing all my readers, friends a Happy pongal!! (பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்)🙂
With pongal coming up, I thought it will be perfect to post this recipe now. I referred this video too in the Youtube.
And on a happy note, my article was published in The Hindu news paper last Saturday. Here's a glimpse of it 🙂
Check my sakkarai pongal recipe which I learnt from my mom which absolutely tastes divinely like the temple sakkarai pongal with special ingredients like edible camphor, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.
Try this for a change this pongal if you are not following the open pot sakkarai pongal making. Sure your family and friends will love it.
Recipe card
Akkaravadisal recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed pan (I used my pot shaped pressure cooker), add 1 tablespoon ghee, roast the cashew nuts, broken into small pieces until golden and transfer to a bowl, keep aside. Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk, set aside.
- Optional step : Add moong dal, rice to the same ghee and roast for a minute in medium flame. If not roasting, wash and then add milk.
- Add water, a pinch of salt to this and Bring to boil.
- Pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame (if cooked in direct pressure cooker method). If you use a separate container inside cooker, give 5 whistles.
- Once done, mash the rice well and add the remaining 1 cup boiled milk. Mash and mix well.
- Continue heating and add powdered jaggery. Mix well until jaggery dissolves.
- You can also melt the jaggery with ¼ cup water and filter to use in the recipe, in case you feel jaggery has impurities.
- Add sugar, saffron along with the milk and continue mixing in medium flame. Cook until it bubbles.
- Lastly add ghee, cardamom powder and mix to incorporate in the akkaravadisal.
- Garnish with the roasted cashews.
Video
Notes
- I used low fat milk, still the taste was rich. Water should be added to ensure well cooked rice and dal.
- The consistency of this sweet must be mushy, little bit on runny side when you switch off the flame. Later it gets thickened. So switch off accordingly. You can keep hot milk ready to adjust the consistency.
- If you are cooking directly in the pressure cooker like me, always cook in low or medium flame to avoid overflowing or burnt bottom, as we are using more milk to cook.
- In the updated video, the method may slightly vary, but it's the same 🙂
📸 Stepwise photos
1. In a heavy bottomed pan (I used my pot shaped pressure cooker), add 1 tablespoon ghee, roast the cashews, broken into small pieces until golden and transfer to a bowl, keep aside. Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk, set aside.
2. Optional: Add moong dal, rice to the same ghee and roast for a minute in medium flame. If not roasting, just wash both and add milk.
3. Pour water, a pinch of salt to this and Bring to boil.
4. Pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame(if cooked in direct pressure cooker method). If you use a separate container inside cooker, give 5 whistles.
5. Once done, mash the rice well and add the remaining 1 cup (boiled) milk. Mash and mix well
6. After that, add powdered jaggery. Mix well until jaggery dissolves. You can also melt jaggery in ¼ cup water, filter to remove impurities and use it in the recipe, like I have done in the video.
7. After that, add sugar, saffron along with the milk and mix well until it bubbles.
8. Finally add ghee, cardamom powder and mix to incorporate. Garnish with cashews and switch off the flame.
Always serve hot to get the full sweetness and taste of this sweet. You can reheat while serving. If at room temperature, the ghee may suppress the sweetness, so serve hot 🙂
jeyashri suresh
Looks divine
aishwarya jagannathan
Looks reeaaalll yummm...
I had a ques.. Is it mandatory to use sugar since we r adding jaggery... Ir can we add more jagery instead of sugar.. Tia...
Pooja S
very nice
Raks anand
I think you add add jaggery itself more.
Divs
As always perfect recipe with perfect clicks..cant stop staring at the pongal..yum!
Pavithra J
Mouth watering it looks..
U made me nostalgic. I used to run n collect the free dhunnai of akkaravadisal from grand sweets at Adyar aft my tuitions during my 11n 12 class.
Nw u not alone made me recollect those memories. But the anxiety to try it myself. I'll do this soon n pics will reach u.
U r an awesome cook. Keep going.!!
Pictures
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Priya
raks you lookg very beautiful. you know i love the way of cooking style. Even i tried lot of recipes, which gave yummy taste too. Can you help me for some diet or weight loss recipes too. wish you all the best and a very happy pongal.
Latha
Congrats Raks! I have been following your website and your recipes for a long time now. First time commenting. Really enjoy your recipes and website. Appreciate all your time, effort and not to mention passion that goes into this. Good luck and best wishes for 2015!
Anonymous
This dish looks beautiful! You are maintaining a great blog! Congratulation on being published!
Mithila
Your dishes are amazing .. Try uploading videos..
Gayathri Sankaran
Amazing collection of recipes. .i check your blog daily for updates..and the preparations are quite similar to my amma 's. Congrats on the article. .way to go
Mahalakshmi
Congratulations raji!!!
Happy Pongal!!
Selvarani Ganesan
Congratulations raji...!
Perfect ...clicks,well explained
veni v
Just realised all these years we have been making akkaravadisal, not sakkarai pongal! Guess I didn't know the difference. I never liked sakkarai pongal which I have tasted only outside, never made at home
Amina Khaleel
Congratulations!! fabulous clicks...
Ramya Gokul
looks yummy
Christina Machado
This comment has been removed by the author.
umasuri
Yummy.please upload video too
Ambika Manikantan
You are looking so beautiful ,nice click ,I do most of your recipes all are come out very well thank you
Ambika Manikantan
You are looking so beautiful ,nice click ,I do most of your recipes all are come out very well thank you
Arthi Vijay
I tried your akkaravadisal and it came out so well. Thanks a ton!! 🙂
BHUVANESWARI M
Tried...came out so well..thanks raks
T Padmini
Super
Gayathri G
Planning to try the recipe for this Pongal festival ��. Thanks for wonderful recipes! I follow you’re website regularly ��Wishing you A Very Happy Pongal��