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This week the Attukal Pongala Festival is one of the world’s largest gatherings of women, held annually at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala, India. Millions of women take to the streets to cook Pongala, a sacred dish made of rice, jaggery, and coconut, as an offering to Goddess Bhagavathy.

The festival honours Kannaki, a legendary figure from the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, who is worshipped as a symbol of justice and devotion. Held in February-March, it lasts ten days, with the grand Pongala offering on the ninth day.

This unique festival is a testament to faith, tradition, and female empowerment

Attukal Pongala Recipe below

Enjoy all this week, Steve and The Spice Team

Attukal Pongala Recipe

(Serves 4-6 people)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice (preferably short-grain like Ponni or Sona Masoori)
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup jaggery (grated or crushed) - See Substitutes below
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped cashews
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• A pinch of edible camphor (optional, for authentic temple taste)

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook the Rice

1. Rinse the rice well and drain.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pot (or earthen pot if available), bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
3. Add the rice and cook on a medium flame, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and slightly mushy.

Step 2: Prepare the Jaggery Syrup - See Substitutes below

4. In a separate pan, melt the jaggery with ¼ cup of water on a low flame. Stir until fully dissolved.
5. Strain the syrup to remove any impurities and set it aside.

1. In a small pan, add 1 cup soft brown sugar and ¼ cup water.
2. Heat on low to medium flame, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. No need to strain unless you see impurities (which is rare in brown sugar).
4. Once dissolved, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to slightly thicken.
5. Proceed with the next step by adding this syrup to the cooked rice.

Since soft brown sugar melts more quickly than jaggery, this step is quicker and easier but still gives a deep caramelised flavour similar to traditional Pongala.

Step 3: Combine Everything

6. Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and stir well. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes on low heat until the mixture thickens.
7. Add the grated coconut and cardamom powder. Stir well.

Step 4: Fry Cashews & Raisins

8. In a small pan, heat ghee and fry the cashews until golden brown. Add the raisins and fry until they puff up.
9. Pour this mixture over the Pongala and mix gently.

Step 5: Final Touches

10. If using edible camphor, dissolve a tiny pinch in warm water and add at the very end (optional but adds a distinct aroma).

Step 6: Serve & Enjoy!

11. Traditionally, Pongala is served warm in banana leaves or earthen bowls, but any serving dish works!

Variations:

• Add mashed ripe bananas for extra sweetness and texture.
• Mix in a little coconut milk for a creamier consistency.
• Some versions include moong dal (split yellow lentils) for a richer taste.

If you can't get hold of jaggery, here are some great substitutes for Attukal Pongala, depending on what you have available:

1. Dark Brown Sugar (Best Substitute)

• Use 1 cup dark brown sugar for every 1 cup of jaggery.
• It has a similar molasses-like depth and sweetness.

2. Palm Sugar

• 1 cup palm sugar = 1 cup jaggery
• It's the closest alternative in terms of flavour but can be slightly milder.

3. Maple Syrup or Honey

• ¾ cup maple syrup or honey for every 1 cup of jaggery
• Adds a rich sweetness but makes the dish slightly more liquid, so reduce other liquids slightly.

4. Molasses + White Sugar

• Mix ¾ cup white sugar + 2 tbsp molasses to get a similar taste and texture to jaggery.

5. Date Sugar or Pureed Dates

• 1 cup date sugar or 1 cup mashed dates for every 1 cup jaggery
• This gives a naturally rich, caramel-like sweetness.

If you want the most authentic taste, go with dark brown sugar or palm sugar, but if you’re looking for a more natural sweetener, dates or honey work well too.