This dessert is special in many Indian households and is often made during harvest festival like Pongal or festivals like Navaratri and Makara Sankranti. For the divine taste and nice aroma that I crave, I like to prepare this more often than just once a year. I agree to be sent email.
There is no limit to when you can enjoy this delicious Indian dessert. Whether during festive and special occasions or just a regular day, sweet pongal will always be a welcome treat. Just like my “Ven pongal” recipe, I prepared made this sweet dish in Instant Pot, and I have great tips for you to prepare your own vegan sweet pongal!
Why I love this
Because this sweet pongal recipe is vegan and gluten-free. Made with simple main ingredients like rice, moong dal, and jaggery. It takes less than 30 minutes to make in Instant Pot. There is no need for white sugar to prepare this. Perfect for many festivals and auspicious days for an offering to god (naivedhyam).
Ingredients
Raw rice (preferably sona masuri or any short-grained rice) Yellow Moong dal (split yellow lentils) Green Cardamoms Jaggery (grated or cubed) Vegan Ghee or avocado oil Dry fruits like Cashew nuts and raisins for garnish Cloves and nutmeg powder Oat milk - optional (you can also use coconut milk) Pachai Karpooram - edible camphor (optional)
Instructions
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. And soak it for 30 minutes. Prepare jaggery syrup - Add Jaggery chunks to ¼ cup of water and heat it over a low flame. As the jaggery melts, mix it well to make an even mixture and set it aside. Press the saute button again and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sweet pongal thickens. Add the roasted nuts, raisins, and pinch of edible camphor (Optional). Mix well and turn off the Instant Pot. Serve the vegan sakkarai pongal recipe hot or at room temperature with some vegan ghee drizzled on top.
Tips
You can adjust the sweetness of the sweet pongal according to your preference by adjusting the quantity of jaggery syrup. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this in a stovetop pressure cooker. Just follow the same steps and adjust cooking times accordingly. For a richer flavor and texture, use coconut milk instead of oat milk. New rice tends to bring a better texture to the dish. Be sure not to have excess water with rice. 3 cups of water for every cup of rice is good for sona masoori rice. Edible camphor (pachai karpooram) is optional but adds a unique fragrance to the sweet pongal. Sweet Pongal thickens as it cools, so keep that in mind while adjusting the consistency. Adding vegan ghee is essential for authentic taste, but you can also use avocado oil if preferred.
Storage
Vegan Sweet Pongal can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to one month. To reheat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave or heat on the stovetop until warm. While heating, add 1 tablespoon of water to avoid dryness.
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📖 Recipe
