Chakkara Pongal

 Chakkara pongal is a Traditional sweet In South India, one of the important prasadams(offering) for lord venkateswara in Tirupati.Specially in dhanurmasam[december15th to January 15th this month is called dhanurmasam means Sagittarius month in Hindu calendar] in vishnava temples[lord Vishnu temples] early morning 4 o clock priests perform pooja and offer this chakkara pongal to lord Vishnu. This tradition is coming from ages in India specially in South India. Pongal [sankranthi] is one of the famous festivals in South India. This festival goes for 3 days first day Bhogi ,this day people prepare chakkara pongal as a main dish in festival feast. In my house my grandmother, and my mom use to make this prasadam every Friday and they offer this to godess lakshmi . In my house we use to call this sweet dish as deevudi pongal.
So lets check the recipe for this traditional recipe here...
INGREDIENTS:--
Rice   --- 1 cup
Moong dal  --- 1/4 cup
Jaggery  ---  3/4 cup
Cardamom powder  ---  1/2 tea sp
Milk ---- 2 cups
Water ---- 1 an half cup + 1/2 cup
Ghee  ---- 4 tab sp
Cashew nuts  --- 10 broken in to pieces
Raisins   ----   10
METHOD:----
1.Mix rice and dal together wash for 2 times, add 1 and half cup water and 2 cups milk cook till soft.
2. Add 1 tab sp ghee to cooked rice and dal mixture, mash with a spoon little bit and set a side.
3.Add water to jaggery and boil it till raw smell goes[this is for removing if any mud or stones in jaggery] and strain it.
4. Bring back the jaggery syrup to the heat and make a syrup of single string consistence.
5. Now add cooked rice and dal mixture to jaggery syrup and reduce the heat to low and mix well to combine every thing.
6. Now heat remaining ghee in a pan fry cashews and raisens,add to rice mixture, add cardamom powder and give a good stir.
If you like a rich taste and very good ghee flavor then add two more tab sp of ghee on top and serve.
Chakkara pongali is ready to serve.
 This is my fourth recipe for Blogging Marathon 27th edition under Traditional recipes let's check other BM members recipes here