Chakkarai Pongal

Hi all,

Made chakkarai Pongal for this Pongal festival,and it came out really well and am happy to share with you all.It seems to be a difficult dish,but you will be astonished to know how easily it can be made after reading this recipe..

Level : Easy

Prep Time : 20 mins

Yield : 4 People

Ingredients :

1 cup raw rice washed
1/4 cup Moong dhal
1 1/2 cup powdered vellam( jaggery)
1 tsp Cardamom powder
10 nos cashew broken into small pieces
10 - 15 nos raisin
4 - 5 tbsp Ghee

Directions :

Pressure cook the rice and moong dhal with 41/2 cups of water so that it gets mushy. Place a nonstick deep pan with the jaggery and add 4 tbsp of water.Add cardamom powder and let it boil for some time.Check out the consistency of the jaggery by pouring small drops of it into a bowl with cold water.It should be in such a consistency that when u roll it with your fingers the jaggery has to form a firm ball.The conistency of the Jaggery is the most important thing in this recipe.Mix the Jaggery with the pressur cooked rice and moong dhal and mix it well.Roast Cashews and then the raisins in 5 tbsp ghee and add to the mixture,mix thoroughly and serve hot.

Variation:

You can add Almonds and other nuts of your liking. If you try to boil the rice and moong dhal with milk be careful of the steam,since milk tends to boil and come out of the pressure cooker's whistle.