Raks Kitchen

Home » INDIAN DIWALI SWEET RECIPES » Kalkandu pongal recipe, how to make kalkandu pongal

Kalkandu pongal recipe, how to make kalkandu pongal

by 51 Comments

Kalkandu pongal recipe
Kalkandu pongal (sugar candy pongal) is one of my hubby’s favorite sweet,I make this now and then,so thought of posting here… Sorry for the too ‘close up’ shots in step wise as I clicked with a zoom lens:(  My mom make sakkarai pongal often, but MIL makes this often, sometimes for special occasions, sometimes, in ordinary days too! I have added half kalkandu and half sugar as they say too much of kalkandu may not suit some people.

Kalkandu pongal recipe

Kalkandu pongal recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Sweet
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 25 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Raw rice – 1/2 cup

Paasi paruppu /Moong dal – 1 tbsp

Sugar +sugar candy(kalkandu) – 3/4 cup(together in equal ratio)

Clarified butter/ Ghee – 4 tbsp

Milk – 1/4 cup

Cardamom – 1, powdered

Raisins (optional) – 1 tbsp

Cashew nut – 5

Edible camphor (Optional) – Mustard size

Saffron (Optional) – 5 strands

salt – A generous pinch

How to make kalkandu pongal step by step method:

  1. Powder the kalkandu and sugar and keep aside. This is totally an optional step, as I dont like the sound of kalkandu while stirring in it, I follow this step 😉Kalkandu pongal recipe step 1
  2. Fry paasi paruppu with a drizzle of ghee till nice aroma comes,in a pressure cooker directly.(You can skip this step as well)Wash rice and add it along with water,use 1:4 ratio(so I added 2 cups here).Pressure cook for 4 whistles and after done,mash it by adding milk.Kalkandu pongal recipe step 2
  3. Keep again the cooker, over heat and add the powdered kalkandu&sugar. Add saffron and edible camphor at this stage, if adding. Soak saffron in milk before adding. Keep stirring adding ghee in between,for 5-8 minutes in medium low heat.Add elachi lastly and fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and mix in to the pongal . Kalkandu pongal recipe step 3

My hubby never likes elachi, cashewnuts or raisins in any of the sweets, so I never add too. Just garnished for photo sake 😉 I have not added saffron and edible camphor too, but it adds a real nice flavour. You can use milk in place of water too for richness.

Kalkandu pongal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  10. well, reminds me of old times, my sis-in-law taught me this, looks so delicious, I used to do it as lata said, I used collect lot of kalkandu going to shardamba temple, and Of course no need to say, beautiful click, so inviting..

    Reply

  82. Amma made this often. It tastes different when made with plain sugar, I have kalkandu with me and should try soon. Amma added the whole kalkandu and never powdered them.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *