I have an honest confession that may annoy several of my friends with severe sweet teeth (is this a plural of ‘sweet tooth’?). I’ve never liked most desserts and have rarely craved for anything sweet. I have been told that would change as I grew older and my hair turned grayer, but that hasn’t happened yet. Oh, the graying has certainly happened; but the craving hasn’t. I recall, for a milestone birthday, my husband threw me a surprise party. In addition to a heavenly Chantilly cake from Whole Foods, my cousin/friend baked me a spicy carrot cake with veggies! I’d probably be her only customer if she bakes it again.
Jaggery-Based Dishes
That said, there are exceptions to every rule. When it comes to desserts made out of jaggery (sugar molasses), I sing a different tune. I looked forward to festivals when my mom would make jaggery based dishes like Bele Obattu (puran poli or sweet crepes made from lentils and jaggery). Gulpaavatae (jaggery-sweetened coconut cream of wheat balls smothered with nuts and raisins) was another favorite. Yet another was Hesarubele Payasa (lentils cooked in coconut milk and jaggery). Yeriappa (a deep fried pancake with rice flour and ripe bananas) was welcome too as was Haalbai (jaggery and coconut yumminess) and this recipe, Huggi (rice/dal cooked with jaggery).
Traditions Behind Huggi
Huggi was a staple at our home for Sankranthi, which is celebrated throughout India between Jan 13 and January 15. If my memory serves me right, this is the only festival in the Hindu calendar that does not follow the Lunar Calendar. It marks the first day of sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn), heralding the end of the winter solstice and the start of longer days.
Rangoli – Handmade Courtyard Designs
As many as there are languages in India, this festival too is called by different names. In South India, I remember courtyards with cow-dung balls (Gobbemmalu) decorated with marigold flowers, placed amidst stunning hand-drawn designs (Rangoli). It may seem like a yuck factor while reading this, but trust me, there was nothing disgusting about them then. Their purpose was to invite prosperity and bliss into one’s home. These dung balls were decorated with turmeric powder, red vermilion powder and several types of grains. On the day prior to Sankrathi, little girls were dressed in their traditional best and older women poured berries, flowers, and currency coins over their heads to bless them. These traditions are still alive in many homes.
Fond Childhood Memories
For Sankranthi, my mom, in the traditional Karnataka style, would make ‘Eellu-Bella‘. This was a mixture of white sesame seeds (Eellu), roasted split chana dal, small pieces of dry coconut, and finely cut jaggery pieces (Bella). For the ritual of ‘Ellu Birodu‘, my sister and I dressed in Jari Langas (silk skirts) and visited our neighbors’ homes to distribute the Ellu-Bella, Sakkare Acchu (sugar candy moulds) with pieces of raw sugarcane. There is a saying in Kannada “ellu bella thindu olle maathadi” that translates to ‘eat the mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery and speak only good.’
Delicious Sweet Pongal Huggi
Anyway, back to Sweet Pongal (Huggi). It is pronounced Who-ggi. I love that we can regulate the amount of jaggery. This is important if you are mindful of your sugar intake. Raisins, coconut milk, and fresh grated coconut add their own sweetness to this dessert, so you really don’t need to go gaga and pour in a whole lot of jaggery into it. The rice and dal play very well on the palate. The crunch of cashews, and the wonderful fragrance of saffron strands add to the wow factor. It is very easy to make, and this time, I used the Instant Pot to make the dish. It saved me so much time and needless dish washing.
Our Healthy Dessert Parade
Are you craving for healthy desserts? Look no further!
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Mango Rasayana
- Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa/Kheer
- Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa
- Gasagase Payasa (Poppy Seed Kheer)
- Date Almond Boats
- DIY Almond Milk
- Vegan Walnut Goji Berry Fudge
- Akki-Haalu Payasa (Rice Kheer)
If you love the spicy version of this recipe, try our Savory Brown Rice Pongal.
The one big thing this dish has going for it is the major rush of endorphins that are released when you are eating a dish – even if it is a dessert – that has no preservatives or additives. The good fats in ghee and coconut provide numerous health benefits. Plus jaggery is far less processed than white sugar, so definitely less guilt!
Do you love our posts and recipes? We’d LOVE to see your creations so click a photo and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #healthyindian3 and please give a star (★) rating below. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube & Tumblr for healthy, easy and delicious recipes and lifestyle tips.
*There could be affiliate links in this blog. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sweet Pongal (Huggi)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Yellow Mung - Yellow split lentils
- 1/4 Cup Rice - Basmati or any other
- 5-6 Black Pepper - Whole peppercorns
- 1.5 Cups Coconut Milk - Full fat. You can also use Dairy milk or water
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee; additional ghee to serve; Use Coconut Oil for Vegans
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 Tablespoon Grated Coconut - Fresh (Save half for garnishing)
- 2 Tablespoon Jaggery - More, if you prefer it sweeter
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom - Freshly powdered
- 6-10 Strands Saffron
- 1 Tablespoon Cashew Nuts - Halved or quartered; skip for nut allergies
- 1 Tablespoon Raisins
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Dry roast split yellow mung dal (without oil) until it turns light brown and loses its raw smell - 5 minutes approximately. Do not let it turn brown.
- Add washed and drained rice to the IP.
- Add turmeric, grated fresh coconut, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon ghee, jaggery and saffron.
- Add coconut milk. Pressure cook in Instant Pot for 8 minutes under High-Pressure (if your IP has the Rice option, then turn on that option. It cooks under low pressure for 12 minutes), or cook on an open flame stirring occasionally until rice and lentils are fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, heat ghee in a small pan. Roast cashew nut and raisins until nuts are lightly browned and the raisins puff up.
- Powder cardamom seeds using a small coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle
- Allow the IP to release pressure on its own. Open the lid and mix well. The consistency should be softly mush but not runny. If it is too dry, add a little more dairy or coconut milk. Taste and add jaggery if you prefer it to be sweeter.
- Add roasted cashew nuts, raisins, 1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut.
- Mix well and serve hot with additional ghee.
