Chakra Pongali

Happy Dassera to you all! My India trip has been a very short but a very sweet one. I could not fit all the things in the few days that I was there but I spent time with my family to my heart's content.But, my heart is still heavy..I miss home and I suspect it will take some time to settle down.Still struggling with jet lag and sleeping and getting up at odd hours!! Hope I will be myself next week.

Recipe: Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan

1/2 cup Moong dal
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
3 cups powdered jaggery
3/4 cup water
4 tbsps ghee
2 tbsps cashews
2 tbsps raisins
5 whole cardamoms, crushed
2 cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp powdered nutmeg
Pinch of saffron

• Dry roast the Moong dal for 2 - 3 min. Remove from the heat
• Cook the rice and dal with 2 1/2 cups water and 1 cup milk until soft; Add water as needed to make the rice and dal mixture soft.
  
• In another pan, dissolve jaggery in the 3/4 cup water and cook till jaggery melts
• Continue to cook until the jaggery water becomes slightly sticky.
• Add the cooked rice and dal
  
• Heat 4 tbsps of ghee in a pan
• Saute the nuts and raisins for 2 -3 min
• Add them to the pongal
• Add the crushed cardamoms, cloves, nutmeg and saffron
• Stir well and serve hot