Chakra Pongal 

Ingredients: 

1 cup Rice

1/4 cup moong dal (pesara pappu)

1 cup powdered jaggery

5 cardamom pods

1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp ghee

12-15 cashew nuts

10 raisins

10 coconut pieces (fresh or dried)

4 1/2 cups water (3 1/2 for rice, 1 for jaggery syrup)

·         Dry roast moong dal in a pan until the color starts to change.

·         Cook rice and moong dal with 3 1/2 cups of water in a pressure cooker or on a stove top.

·         Mean while, roast cashews, raisins and coconut pieces in 2 tbsp ghee and keep it aside.

·         Mix cardamom pods with sugar and ground to make fine powder.

·         Add jaggery and a cup of water to a thick bottomed vessel or non-stick pan and stir until jaggery melts.

·         Boil the syrup for 4-5 minutes on medium flame and turn-off heat and let it cool for a bit.

·         Now add the boiled rice and dal to the jaggery syrup, mix well with a strong ladle on medium flame.

·         Add the remaining ghee, sugar-cardamom powder and combine well.

·         Turn-off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes so that rice absorbs the sweetness.

·         Garnish with cashews, raisins coconut pieces and serve warm.