Sweet Pongal Harvest Rice: Jaggery, Ghee & Cardamom Recipes

There is no festival quite like Pongal, and Pongal recipe ideas always begin with the one dish that started it all: Sweet Pongal. It's a recipe, of course, but it's also a harvest celebration that has been celebrated by Tamil families for generations. The key to this day is the sight of the pot bubbling up and overflowing; for in that moment, the whole family can see the year ahead is going to be blessed. The dish is a delightfully easy recipe to prepare. Raw rice and moong dal are cooked together in milk until thick and creamy and then flavored with melted jaggery, pure ghee, and fragrant cardamom. Every time the pot is stirred, it is a gesture of devotion, as well as a cooking gesture. In this article, you'll find some traditional Pongal recipe ideas that celebrate the flavor and the devotion of this sacred harvest day. Read more