SWEET PONGAL (CHAKKARA PONGAL)

Pongal is held to honor the sun for a bountiful harvest. Pongal is celebrate by Tamil community every where in the world. Thats why pongal is called Tamilar Thirunal. This sweet rice is mainly prepared during pongal festival with rice, dal, jaggery and milk and stirred continuously until the content turns to a porridge. It is richly flavored and garnished with cardamom, nutmeg and cashews with lots of ghee.

This special pudding is traditionally prepared in an earthen pot.Now let us see how to make the simple and easy way of making the most relished sweet pongal (pudding).

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw rice-1 cup
• Moong dal -a handful
• Jaggery-1 1/2 cups
• Milk-2 cups
• Water-2 cups
• Condensed milk-1 tin
• Cardamon powder-1 tblsp
• Ghee-1 cup
• Ghee fried cashew-nuts& raisins a handful
• Ghee fried coconut bits

PREPARATION:

1. Wash the green gram dal and rice nicely.Dry roast rice and dal together until the rice turns white.
2. Transfer it to a pressure cooker and add milk,water,half the ghee,a pich of salt to enrich the flavor and pressure cook for 3 whistles or until soft like pudding.
3. In a wide bottomed kadai, heat the brown sugar(jaggery) with half a cup water.when it melts add it to the cooked rice and stir well together with the condensed milk,cardomon powder,roasted nuts and the remaining ghee.The more ghee you add the best taste you will ever have.Keep in low flame until all mingles and form a smooth pudding.
   
4. This sweet pongal is sure a divine delight with rich aromas….

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