Sweet Pongal

Pongal is a name of festival celebrated in the southern India. it is called Sankranti in some states. It is a harvest festival. there is a spicy version of pongal too.

Sweet Pongal is a sweet rice and lentil dish. A speciality generally made on 14th January in the southern part on India on the occasion on the harvest festival. You can use the whole green gram instead of the broken green gram(dal). It is more nutritious . only the colour will change a little.

Ingredients :
· rice – 1 cup
· Moong dal(Green gram) – ½ cup
· Jaggery or sugar – 11/2 cup. (jaggery tastes better)
· Ghee – 2 tbsp
· Cashew nuts – 7-8
· Raisins – 1 tbsp
· Cardamom powder ¼ tsp
· Grated fresh coconut or desccicated coconut 1 cup
· Water -3 cups

Preparation : dry roast moong dal lightly. Wash rice. Add mong dal to the rice. Add 3 cups water and pressure cook as you cook plain rice.

Heat ghee in a pan. Fry cashew nut pieces and raisins. Keep aside.

Mix jaggery and ½ cup water and bring to boil. When jaggery melts, add the cooked rice/dal mixture, grated coconut. Mix and cook on slow fire. Add cashew, raisins, cardamom powder, ghee and mix well. Serve Hot.