Sweet Pongal

Ingredients:

1. Sona Masoori Rice/Raw Rice - 1/2 cup
2. Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
3. Jaggery grated - 1 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Ghee - 2 tablespoon
6. Cashews - 10 no.
7. Raisins - 2 tablespoon
8. Salt a pinch

Method:

1. Rinse rice and moong dal in water. Strain the water completely.
2. Heat a pressure cooker and dry roast rice and moong dal for around 5 min until it turns out aromatic.
3. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
4. Meanwhile, take a saucepan and add grated jaggery and 1/2 cup water. Boil till the jaggery melts and turn off the stove.
5. Strain the jaggery syrup to remove any impurities. 
6. Once the pressure subsides in the cooker, slightly mash the rice and dal mixture.
7. Add the jaggery syrup and mix thoroughly. Add cardamom powder and a pinch of salt to balance the sweet. Simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a small pan and roast cashews and raisins. Add this mixture to pongal and serve hot. 

"Warm Desserts" was the theme for the January 2021 "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" event. The theme was suggested by Rafeeda who blogs at "The Big Sweet Tooth". Do check her blog for a collection of delicious recipes. Some of the eye-catching ones include: "Easy Lime Cake", "Apple Crisp" and "Eggless Fruit Cake"

My partner for this month is Priya Iyer who blogs at 'The World Through My Eyes'. Check out her 'Carrot Kheer' and 'Omapodi'. Priya suggested jaggery and rice as my secret ingredient and I made this sweet pongal. I gave her raisins and sugar and she made a delicious Strawberry Rava Kesari. Do check visit her blog to get the recipe.