Kalkandu Pongal | Rock Candy Rice | Indian Sweet Recipes

        Today is the start of Navarathiri week , I wanted to start this festival days with a sweet dish.Navrathri festival is celebrated in South Indian households with Golu, where they keep figures of gods on show/display. In temples gods are decorated too in different avatars/forms.

       Sweet Rock candy Rice/ கல்கண்டு சாதம் is no different than akkaravadisal. The less calorie  கல்கண்டு  sadam has very less ghee and rock candy ,instead of lots of ghee and Jaggery . Rock Candy (கல்கண்டு) has a unique sweet flavor because of the addition of milk and is usually made during padappu ( annual gathering of people where offering's are given to ancestors and gods). So here is the recipe of  traditional sweet with unique flavor.

Step by Step picture recipe for making kalkandu pongal:

                            

• Wash the rice and  cook it with milk,water mixture until soft and mushy.
• I cooked it in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles.This makes the work easier.
• Once it is well cooked,mash it thorough.
• Crush the rock candy (கல்கண்டு) and make it fine powder.You can use either large or small polished ones .If using small then no need of crushing.
• Add kalkandu to cooked rice ,cook on a low flame until all of them melts.
• Heat ghee in a separate pan.Add cashews and fry until it browns.
• When all of the candy melted add fried cashews and ghee to the rice.
• Finally add cardamom powder and mix very well.
• Creamy ,sweet Rock candy rice (கல்கண்டு சாதம்) is ready to be served.

                                                      Kalkandu Pongal Recipe                                  

                        How to make kalkandu saadam recipe  

 Cuisine: Indian   Category:Sweet Prep time:5 minutes  Cook time:20 minutes  Total Time:25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice.
• 200 g/1 cup rock candy crushed.
• 2 1/2 cup water.
• 1 cup milk.
• 1 cardamom.
• 1 tbsp ghee(or can use less).
• 3 tbsp cashews.

Method:

• Wash the rice and  cook it with milk,water mixture until soft and mushy.
• I cooked it in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles.This makes the work easier.
• Once it is well cooked,mash it thorough.
• Crush the rock candy (கல்கண்டு) and make it fine powder.You can use either large or small polished ones .If using small then no need of crushing.
• Add kalkandu to cooked rice ,cook on a low flame until all of them melts.
• Heat ghee in a separate pan.Add cashews and fry until it browns.
• When all of the candy melted add fried cashews and ghee to the rice.
• Finally add cardamom powder and mix very well.
• Creamy ,sweet Rock candy rice (கல்கண்டு சாதம்) is ready to be served.

Tips:

• Make sure that Rock Candy is crushed to fine a powder, otherwise it will not melt to the rice.
• Make sure the rice is cooked and mashed well without any lumps.

Check similar dessert/Sweets like Moongdal Ladoo,Kaju Katli,Apple halwa