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Srirangam Akkaravadisal

Royal sweet rice and moong dal pudding simmered in pure milk, rich cow's ghee, dark jaggery, saffron, and edible camphor.

Snack · 10 min prep · 35 min cook · serves 4 Newly added

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rice , raw short-grain or sona masuri
  • 2 tbsp moong dal (split yellow) , lightly dry-roasted
  • 3 cups milk , full-fat whole milk, divided
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup jaggery , dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water and strained
  • 4 tbsp ghee , pure desi cow ghee
  • 10 cashew , split
  • 1 pinch saffron threads
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 pinch edible camphor (pacha karpooram) , microscopic pinch

Preparation

  1. Heat 2 teaspoons of ghee in a heavy pot; lightly roast the raw rice and split yellow moong dal for 2 minutes until fragrant.

  2. Add 2 cups of the milk and 1 cup of water to the grains.

  3. Pressure cook for 4 whistles (or simmer covered on medium-low flame) until the grains are very soft and creamy.

  4. Mash the cooked rice and dal thoroughly against the side of the pot with a wooden churn.

  5. Add the remaining 1 cup of milk and the strained jaggery syrup to the mashed grains.

  6. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring continuously, until the pudding turns glossy, thick, and coats the back of a spoon.

  7. Heat the remaining ghee in a small pan over medium flame; fry the cashews until golden-brown.

  8. Pour the hot ghee and cashews into the simmering pudding.

  9. Stir in the saffron threads, cardamom powder, and the tiny speck of edible camphor.

  10. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let rest for 10 minutes before offering warm.

In the tradition

Akkaravadisal is celebrated in the 4000 Divya Prabandham by the Alvar saint Andal, who offered one hundred pots of this milk sweet to Lord Sundararaja Perumal. Unlike standard sweet pongal (Sarkkarai Pongal) cooked in water, Akkaravadisal cooks the grains directly in rich milk fat and liberal quantities of clarified cow’s butter.

Sources & further reading

  • Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple Canon, Srirangam (Panguni Uthiram Festival Akkaravadisal Thaligai Archive)

Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books are shared as further reading, not as prescriptions.