Sweet Pongal

'Makara Sankranti' is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India. In Tamil Nadu Sweet Pongal is prepared on this auspicious day. I learnt this delicious recipe from a dear friend of mine.

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup heaped
Moong Dal - 1/8 cup 
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Water - 3 cups(for cooking rice) + 1 and 1/4 cup(for jaggery syrup)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashews - 8 broken
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch

edible camphor (optional) a pinch







Method

1. Dissolve jaggery in boiling water, to dissolve easily. Then heat it up until for the remaining lumps to get dissolved, let it come to a rolling boil.
2. Switch off and strain to remove impurities.Then add edible camphor(a very tiny pinch not more than that) and cardamom. Keep aside
3. In a pressure cooker dry roast moong dal till golden brown.Then add rice and give a quick stir.Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for3-4 whistles until mushy.Mash it well.Then add jaggery syrup.
4. Add the jaggery syrup and cook well in medium flame for 5 mins.If it starts getting dry add milk and keep mixing till you get the pongal consistency. Roast the cashews & raisins in ghee and add to pongal.