Sweet Sweet Pongal

The month of Shravan (5^th month of the Hindu calendar) is one of the most auspicious months here in India. It also brings along number of festivals, Rakhi Purnima being one of them.

 Rakhi Thali

The festival of Rakshabandhan (as it is called in the Northern parts of
India) or Rakhi purnima (as it is called in Maharshtra) celebrates the special bond of love between brothers and sisters.A rakhi (beautiful silk thread) is tied by the sister on her brothers wrist.  

Like all other festivals of India, this festival is incomplete without festivities and festive food.Though not the traditional Rakhi recipe,this Rakhi I am serving Sweet Sakkar Pongal to my brother through this blog:

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

½ cup yellow moong dal roasted

1 cup water

1 tbsp dry coconut powder roasted

1 cup jaggery dissolved in little water (proportion can be changed depending on the sweetness required)

2 tbsp ghee

¼ tsp Cardamom powder

few strands of saffron warmed and crushed,

15-20 golden raisins fried in ghee

8-10 cashewnuts sliced and fried in ghee

Method:

Wash and drain the rice and roasted yellow moong dal. Pressure cook the rice and moong dal with 2 ½  cups milk and 1 cup water. In a heavy bottom pan heat 2tbsp ghee.Add the roasted coconut powder. Now add the dissolved jaggery and cook for a few minutes. Add the cooked rice and moong dal mixture. Cook nicely till water evaporates and the colour of mixture turns into a beautiful brown. Add cardamom powder,crushed saffron strands, golden raisins and cashewnut slices. Serve hot or cold.