Kalkandu Pongal | கல்கண்டு பொங்கல் | Pongal Recipes | Rock Candy Milk & Rice Pudding

Kalkandu Pongal is one of the varieties of Pongal offered as Naivedyam for Pongal festival and other major festivals at home. In addition to this we offer Chakkarai Pongal (ver 1 and ver2), Ven Pongal, Thirukannamudhu, Akkaravadisal and Ezhu Kari kootu during the 5 days of pongal. 

Today’s version is with Kalkandu (or candy sugar aka Mishri or KhaDi Shakkar in Hindi / Marathi) and we prefer a mild sweetness and therefore used it sparingly. You can increase the sugar proportion accordingly. 

Sending this to Festival Recipes after yesterday’s Milagu Vadai (Anjaneyar Kovil Vadai) as part of BM 60.

Kalkandu Pongal – Offering to God for Pongal Festivals

(Candy Sugar – Rice Pudding cooked in milk and topped with Ghee)

Prep time : 15 mins . cook time : 15 mins. Serves : 2

You would need:

• Raw rice – ¼ cup (I used Pongal rice)
• Milk – 1 cup
• Kalkandu (Candy Sugar) – 1/4 cup
• Ghee – 4 tsp
• Raisins and cashewnuts – 4-6 each
• Saffron – a pinch
• Pachaikarpooram (edible camphor) – a teeny weeny pinch – optional, but recommended 

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 10 mins, pressure cook with the milk for 4-5 whistles.
2. Once the pressure releases, mash the rice while still hot.
3. Fry the cashews and raisins in 1 tsp ghee till plump and golden brown, reserve.
4. Soak the saffron in 1 TBSP hot milk for 10 mins.
5. In a non stick pan, add the mashed rice and kalkandu (the sugar will dissolve due to the heat, and don’t worry if it leaves some water in the vessel – the dish with thicken upon cooling), add half of the ghee , saffron and mix well.
6. Add the pachai karpooram and turn off the heat.
7. Now add the remaining ghee if any and the fried raisins and cashews
8. Offer to God as Naivedyam and serve warm