CHAKKARA PONGAL NIVEDYAM

This is a sweet dish made with raw rice, jaggery and ghee. At home this is also referred to as Navarathri special payasam since this is offered to Devi everyday during the Navarathri Festival. Another version of this dish cooked with moong daal is a speciality in Tamilnadu during Pongal

INGREDIENTS

1.Raw rice/Jeerakasaala rice/basmati rice - 1/2 cup

2. Water - 3 cups
3. Jaggery - 250 gm
4. Ghee - 3 Table spoon
5. Milk - 1 table spoon (not required if the jaggery is pure)
6. Cashew nut - 1/4 cup
7. Kismis - 1/4 cup


METHOD

Pressure cook the rice with 2 cups of water . (This is to save time otherwise rice can be cooked in the normal way as well). After the first whistle, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Doesn't matter if there is excess water.

Meanwhile, add the jaggery to 1 cup of water and boil. Once the whole jaggery is dissolved and starts boiling, add the milk. The impurities if any will form a seperate layer which can be removed with a spoon. When the solution is sticky filter and pour it into a big pan along with the rice. Stir continuously and when the water is almost gone add 2  table spoons of ghee. Stir again until the pongal reaches a semi solid state and gets a glossy look. Then switch off the stove.

Heat 1 table spoon ghee, fry the cashewnuts and kismis and add to the pongal.