Chakkara Pongal

Hope you all read my post about our pongal celebration. I know I am late in posting my Chakkara Pongal recipe. Thought its better late than never.

I am usually lazy and make it just in the cooker. This time, after seeing Radhika's post, I was inspired to try making it without cooker. I think it was worth the effort. It tasted heavenly.



Ingredients

Rice 1/2 cup
Moong Dal 1.5 tbsp
Jaggery 2 cups
Cardamom little
Cashews few
Raisins few
Ghee a few tbsp (as per taste)
Milk 3 cups
Water 3 cups

Method of Preparation

1. Dry roast the moong dal and keep aside.

2. Wash and soak the rice and roasted dal together for about 15-20 minutes.

3. In a big pot/pan, take the milk and water and bring it to a boil.

4. Add the rice and dal to it and cook in medium low flame stirring in between. Keep the pan covered. Initially the milk will boil over. So be careful. Keep stirring often.

5. In a separate pan, add the jaggery and a little water (around 1/4 to 1/2 cup) and melt it. Remove any dirt/dust from it and keep ready.

6. When the rice and dal is fully cooked and muched up, add the jaggery mix to it. Simmer for some more time till it all comes together.

7. Fry some cashews and raisins in ghee.

8. Add the cashews, raisins, cardamom and all the ghee to the pongal and mix well.

It solidified a little more after a few hours and tasted best the next day.