Sarkarai Pongal

10 Jan 08 07:15:06 AM comments rss: 

It is the Harvest festival season -

" Pongal",when the farmers pay homage to the SUN God.We are surrounded by all things fresh and nice - fresh ginger plants,turmeric plants,sweet sugarcane and ofcource Sarkarai Pongal.  Here we go with the recipe of " Sarkarai Pongal", the all time favourite.


Ingredients:

  Rice,(raw )   - 1 cup
  Green gram dhal  -  1/4 cup
  Bengal gram Dhal  -  1 table spoon
  Milk     -   1  cup
  Round jaggery (crushed )  -  1. 1/2 ( one and a half ) cup.
  Grated coconut    -   2 table spoons
  Ghee   -   1/4 cup 
  cashew
  kismis
  nutmeg powder . one pinch
  Cardamam - 4 or 5 pieces


Method :

  Roast the green gram dhal and the bengal gram dhal seperately to a light golden colour. ( you will get a  nice smell ).
 - wash the rice and dhal in a vessal 2 times and strain.
 - Add 2.1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of milk.
-  cook the same in a cooker and allow upto 3 whistles.
-  Take the vessel and mash the contents a bit.
-  In a frypan add the mashed rice , jaggery, 2 table spoons of ghee and cook in a low fire for say, 5 minutes      
   stirring frequently.
-  when it thickens a bit , add the grated coconuts, powdered nutmeg and cardamom powder.
-  Fry the cashew, kismis in ghee and add the same.

  The mouthwatering  Sarkarai pongal is ready !

  P. S . 
-  Sarkarai pongal hardens as it cools. So don't make it too dry.
-  If jaggery contains sand and other impurities, cook it in a frypan in a cup of water till the jaggery dissolves.
 - Strain it in a sieve and remove the impurities. Boil the filtred jaggery for some time before you add to the
   mashed rice.

  " H A P P Y    E A T I N G  "