A Sweet Treat for Pongal

Tamil Nadu’s harvest festival begins on 14 January. This four-day celebration traditionally involves paying tribute to cows. Make the festival a true celebration for the cows – and you – by preparing this tasty vegan (ghee-free) version of the festival dish.

Sweet Pongal
1 cup moong dal
2 cups rice
2 Tbsp vegetable or coconut oil, plus more for frying
1 1/2 cups jaggery powder
Cardamom powder, to taste
Diced dried fruits, to taste

• Sauté the dal and rice together  until slightly brown.
• Let the mixture cool, then put in a pressure cooker.
• Add an equal volume of water to the mixture and turn on the heat.
• Wait for two whistles, then turn off the heat.
• Add the 2 tablespoonfuls of oil and the jaggery powder and boil until the jaggery dissolves and binds all the ingredients together.
• Fry the cardamom powder and dried fruits in oil. Add to the dal and rice mixture, mix well and serve.

Makes 4 to 5 servings