Festival Recipes, Pongal

Kalkandu Pongal | கல்கண்டு பொங்கல் | Pongal Recipes | Kalkandu Sadam

Kalkandu Pongal or Kalkandu Sadam is delicious naivedyam or prasadam made with rock candy, milk and rice. Offered to God on festival days and at temples

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. 

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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. 

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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 short grained rice)
  • Milk – 1 cup
  • Kalkandu (Candy Sugar) – 3/4 cup (adjust sweetness)
  • Ghee – 4 tsp
  • Raisins and cashewnuts – 4-6 each
  • Saffron – a pinch
  • Pachaikarpooram (edible camphor) – a teeny weeny pinch – optional, but recommended 
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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
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12 Comments

  1. cookingwithsapana

    Pongal looks so tasty Kalyani.

  2. Priya Suresh

    Wow, again my favourite, you are tempting me Kalyani..

  3. Drooling here. Awesome. Happy Pongal

  4. Such a creamy and delicious looking pongal made with kalkandu.

  5. I have heard about this many times, but never had it before. Looks good!

  6. Chef Mireille

    Happy Pongal to you – I hve made this version also for previous BM theme – another loved version – I don't think I've tasted a version of rice pudding or pongal I didnt like 🙂

  7. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

    Looks so delicious. We also call it Akkaravadisal and it is my favorite.

  8. Gayathri Kumar

    Kalkandu pongal looks so inviting Kalyani..

  9. I loved this kalkandu pongal when I made it.

  10. Suma Gandlur

    I love every variety of Pongal out there and your bowl of Pongal looks delicious.

  11. Varada's Kitchen

    Looks creamy and delicious.

  12. Book markpanniten. Looks so delicious Kal!!

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