Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal is a delectable, cardamom-scented rice and lentil pudding studded with cashews and raisins. It is traditionally made to celebrate the south Indian harvest festival, Pongal, but you don't need any particular reason to eat this dairy-free version -- other than the fact that it's uncommonly delicious!
The post Sweet Pongal (Sakkarai Pongal) appeared first on Holy Cow Vegan.

Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongali is a delectable, cardamom-scented rice and lentil pudding studded with cashews and raisins. It is traditionally made to celebrate the south Indian harvest festival, Pongal, but you don't need any particular reason to eat this dairy-free version -- other than the fact that it's uncommonly delicious!

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What is pongal"

The passing of the winter solstice kicks off India's legendary love for celebrations. Farmers, and everyone else, give their thanks for the end of the harvest with festivals that go by different names across different states: makar sankranti, lohri, ugadi and bihu, among others.

The state of Tamil Nadu, in south India, celebrates the end of the harvest with a festival named pongal. And to give thanks, they cook up two very special dishes with lentils and the newly harvested rice: ven pongal, or savory pongal, and sakkarai pongal, or sweet pongal.

"Ponga," in Tamil, means to overflow, and cooking pongal after the harvest signifies prosperity and abundance. In south Indian...