SHAKKAI PONGAL RECIPE
Recipe Source ~ Own
Serves ~ 3-4 generously
Ingredients
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong dal / Split yellow dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 3 cups (to pressure cook rice &dal)
Jaggery - 1/2 cup powdered
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashew - 2 tbsp chopped
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp (recommended can be reduced)
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Method
- In a bowl take both the rice and dal, soak for 10-15 mins. Heat water in a pressure cooker and once it starts to boil add the soaked rice & dal. Cover the lid and attach the cooker weight, pressure cook for 4 whistles until soft.
- In the meantime bring 1/2 cup water to a boil, add the powdered/ grated jaggery to it, bring it to a boil and once it all melts, let it cook further to become thick, this takes 7 minutes, strain the jaggery syrup and set aside
- Let the pressure gradually settle, open the lid and using a wooded laddle partially mash the rice & dal, set aside
- In a wide pan add ghee fry the cashew and raisins one after the other and set aside. To the same pan heat the rest of the ghee add the mashed rice & dal, jaggery syrup. Once it starts to boil, add the cardamom powder and sugar mix well, cook further until it turns to a thick mass and starts to leave the pan. This takes 3 minutes.
Top with nuts & raisins serve warm / cold
Cooks Wisdom
- You can even add coconut bits or even grated coconut while frying the nuts for additional flavour
- Some love to add nutmeg and camphor (edible), if you plan to use them use a very tiny pinch of both not more than that. Since R does not like both flavours I have not used it in this recipe
- Make sure rice and dal is well cooked else add more water and pressure cook for 2 more whistles
- You can alternately dry roast the dal before pressure cooking, but I usually don't do it
- Adding jaggery gives the yellow tint to the sweet pongal, so this may vary depending on the quality of jaggery you use
Linking this to Tamizhar Samayal Tuesday event started by Nalini.
