Sakkare Acchu is a give away sugar model exchanged among friends and family members along with Ellu Bella during Sankranthi or pongal festival.
Clear ,hot and thick sugar syrup will be poured into different molds. animals, fruits, veggies, mantap are few to mention amongst lot of different molds available.
Again this recipe I learnt from my mom:).I really have strong memory of this recipe as I used to help my mom during my high school days lots of interest.(I used to bunk class just with the interest of sakkare acchu).
Before I dig into sakkare acchu recipe, Its worth answering the question "Where do I get Sakkare Acchu"(Molds)? Answer is in all major areas of namma Bengaluru. Gandhi Bazar, Malleswaram , Jaynagar. Being a south bangelorien, I am more used to Gandhi Bazar and sure about the availabality. There are around 4-5 big shops right near Gandhi Bazar circle. they have lot and lots of molds right in front of shops.
They not only sell sakkare acchu(Molds) but they do sell all festival season items for all the festivals of entire year. I must say its worth visiting them for each festival to get current trend items.Puranika Gombe for navrathri, akasha butti and diays for deepavali, dressed up lakshmi moorthi for varamaha lakshmi are few items sold by them every year.and believe me it will be different from one year to another. Hats off to those shops and shopkeepers.
Here is the method for Sakkare Acchu:
You Need To Have:
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup curd
1/2 lemon
Method:
Soak sugar in water for at least 3 hours.Make sure that Sugar just immerse in water. More water you add more time its going to take to thicken.I prefer to do them during day time. so if we soak them at 8am, then we should be able to start by 11am.
Keep stirring in between till sugar dissolves completely.
soak sakkare acchu molds in water as shown below.
Just before pouring sugar syrup , dry them and tight them with help of rubber bands as shown below.
Transfer this sugar into tick bottomed vessel and bring it to boil.
Now add part of milk(divide milk in 3 parts). when syrup starts to froth, sieve it with help of white cloth as shown below.
Repeat this for another 2 times followed by 3 times of curd. each time the cloth and vessel should be cleaned with water.This process will remove dirt out of sugar and brings good white color.
Finally end this by adding half lemon juice. it gets softness to sakkare achu.
Take this cleared sugar syrup in thick bottomed vessel and continue to boil in a very low flame until the mixture becomes thick and white.key is that you will fell difficult while stirring.at that point it should be taken out of flame.
Immediately take them and pour it into molds.remove extras over molds with help of knife. after 10 mins, gently take out them from molds. spread them and leave them for about 3 -4 hours.
Pack them along with ellu bella in a ziplock cover and share with friends and relatives.
Happy Sankranthi to all!!
Thank you very much for a great recipe of Sakkare Acchu. I always used to only eat it when were in Bengaluru, buying it from stores without bothering about recipe and now in Australia, we are in the process of making it now. Thanks again.. Wish you a very happy Sankranthi.
ReplyDeleteI will update the results after we make our first trial :)
Namaskar Neethu,
ReplyDeleteHappy Pongal for you and your family.
Thank you for the recipe with details and photos.
Today in Sri Shankara Channel had showed this and so i was searching in net - and came across your blog.
In net i got other recipes which used only sugar and milk - in TV they showed Sugar milk and Curd
Can you tell me what difference does it make with the additional items.
Thanks
Nandana
@Nandana,
ReplyDeleteNamaskara Nandana,
Curd and lemon softens sakkare acchu along with removing dirt from sakkare.
Regards,
Neethu
Thanks this recipe of Sakkare Acchu. Do you know if these molds are available online who can ship them to USA? Love them!!
ReplyDeleteHi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI have no clue about availability of sakkare acchu molds here in US. Google it, you may find something.
Regards,
Neethu