Sarkarai Pongal

Other names - Akkaravadisal / Sweet pongal

Prep Time: 20 min (except soaking hour)
Cooking Time: 10 min
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

1. Raw rice - 1/2 cup
2. Split yellow moong dhal - 2 tbsp
3. Milk - 1 cup
4. Thick milk - another 1/4 cup
5. Water - 1/2 cup
6. Thick jaggery extract - 3/4 to 1 cup
7. Ghee - 3 tbsp + 1 tbsp
8. Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
9. Raisins - 2 tbsp
10. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Dry roast yellow split moong dhal until light brown; set aside.
2. Wash raw rice well in water for about 3 to 4 times; drain and soak in water for 1/2 an hour.
3. Drain and pressure cook rice and dhal along with 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup water.
4. Once done, give standing time to pressure cooker to cool naturally.
5. Open lid, mash rice & dhal mixture with the back of the ladle.
6. Add thick milk, jaggery extract to the rice dhal mixture & pressure cook once again for a single whistle.
7. Once done, give standing time to pressure cooker to cool naturally.
8. Heat a tbsp of ghee in a pan, saute cashew nuts & raisins separately; keep aside.
9. In the same pan, add the cooked rice dhal mixture and rest of the 3 tbsp ghee and combine well.
10. Cook mixture well stirring and folding continuously for about 7 to 10 min until ghee starts leaving the sides of the pan.
11. Garnish with roasted cashew nuts & raisins.