Karthigai Pori Recipe – Sharmis Passion

Karthigai Pori is a simple and traditional sweet snack which we mostly make for Karthigai Deepam festival. It is made by mixing nel pori with light jaggery syrup along with small pieces of coconut and some fried gram dal. This snack has mild sweetness and a nice chewy taste that is perfect for festival evenings.

Its taste is not very heavy, so even if you eat a little more, you will not feel tired. While many people love the simple taste and flavour, this homemade version always tastes better. The mixture of jaggery and pori gives a soft crispiness which is quite comforting when eaten fresh.

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About Karthigai Pori

Karthigai Pori is a quick dessert that you can make at home with a few simple ingredients. Also, puffed rice remains crunchy even after being mixed with jaggery syrup, so when you eat it, it tastes very light. Jaggery holds the porri together and adds sweetness. Fried gram dal and coconut pieces add a little crunchy taste in between.

This dish is commonly made for the Karthigai festival in many South Indian homes. It doesn’t have a spicy taste but has a warm, homely flavor that comes only from the jaggery and fresh coconut. Many people make two versions of this, leaving one porri loose and forming the other into small balls. The taste of both is almost the same, only the texture changes slightly.

You also get different varieties of pori in stores, but for this recipe nail pori gives better taste and holds the syrup properly. Some people also add peanuts, dry ginger or a little more cardamom for added aroma. The recipe remains simple and easy to adjust depending on what you like, and it still turns out good.

I usually make it in small batches at home as it stays fresh for a few days and is easy to have for an evening snack. Children also like it because it is not very sweet.

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Karthigai Pori Ingredients

• nail polish – I used fresh nail pourri as it gives a nice light crunch and retains the jaggery syrup well.
• Jaggery – I used jaggery to make sherbet, it gives mild sweetness and good colour. If you want light color then you can also use light jaggery.
• Water – I have used only a small amount of water to dissolve the jaggery. By adding more water it will take longer time for it to thicken.
• cardamom powder – I added it for the mild sweet smell which goes great with porri. If you don’t like it you can leave it.
• dry ginger powder – I use a small pinch as it gives a warm flavor and balances the sweetness. If you don’t like it you can avoid it.
• fried gram dal – I have also added fried chickpeas here and there for extra crunch. You can also add peanuts if you want more bite.
• Coconut – I used shredded coconut pieces and lightly fried them for a nice aroma. You can also add fresh coconut but it will not remain fresh for long.
• Ghee – For taste, I fried coconut pieces in a little ghee. You can also use coconut oil but ghee smells better.

How to make Karthigai Pori step by step

1. Remove the nail skin (husk) from the pod and prepare it

2. Fry the coconut pieces in ghee until they turn golden, add nail powder and fried gram dal to it. Mix well and keep aside for later use.

3. Measure the jaggery and put it in a pan, add water and mix it well.

4. Heat the jaggery for 2 minutes to dissolve it. Strain to remove impurities.

5.Heat it again and continue cooking, add cardamom powder. Consistency check: Keep a separate plate filled with some water ready. Take a drop of jaggery syrup and add it to water, it should remain hard and not dissolve as shown below. This is enough, no need to check rolling and so on.

6.When it becomes thick, add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, pori and turn it off. Mix well so that the syrup applies evenly on the porri. – Let the mixture cool and then spread it in a plate.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy! In short this Karthigai is easy to make and tastes delicious so you can make it as a breakfast anytime.

Expert Tips

• consistency of jaggery – I usually test the syrup by putting a little bit of it in water, it should remain firm. This level is enough to coat the porri thoroughly.
• Do not add extra water – I have noticed that adding too much water takes longer for the syrup to thicken, so keep it to a minimum.
• mix quickly – I usually add the pori as soon as the syrup reaches the right stage because it sticks better when it’s hot.
• use a wide pan – I have used a wide pan as it makes mixing easier and the porridge does not break.
• freshness of coconut – I usually roast the coconut pieces thoroughly so that they remain fresh for a long time and do not leave moisture later.

serving and storage

Serve it as a snack or even as a small dessert after a meal. If you like something light and sweet in the evening then it goes well with tea also.

After it cools completely, store the leftover food in an airtight container. It stays good for about three to four days at room temperature.

general questions and answers

1.Can I make it with regular porri?

You can use regular pori, but nail pori gives better crispness and flavor to this dish.

2.Can I skip the coconut pieces?

Yes, you can omit it or replace it with peanuts if you want more crunch.

3.My knuckles have become soft, what’s wrong?

The syrup might have been cooked for too long or the pori was not fresh. Using fresh Pori always gives better results.

4.Can I shape them into balls?

Yes, but the syrup needs to reach a slightly firmer stage. Follow the same recipe and shape while it’s still hot.

5. How long is it good for?

It stays good for a few days in an airtight container, but if you have used fresh coconut it expires quickly.

If you have any further questions about making this Karthigai Pori Mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com
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