Chakarai & Paal Pongal Recipe (Sweet & Milk Pongal)

First of all, Happy Pongal to all my readers & friends! I was not planned to click/ post this pongal recipe hmm.......yes was kind of lazy. Amma just finished cooking and thats when hubby insisted/convinced me to click, he usually never bothers even to peek in when I m clicking but yesterday he gave many ideas, also came forward to click few pics and the below first pic is by him. These are again going to be on my personal fav click list! :) Now quickly jotting down the recipe from amma for future reference!

Chakarai Pongal - Ingredients:

• Raw Rice - 1 cup
• Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
• Coconut - 1 tbsp [optional]
• Jaggery syrup -3/4 cup
• Cashews - few broken and fried in ghee
• Raisins - few fried in ghee
• Milk - 1 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Elachi powdered - 2 tsp

Method:

1. First roast moong dhal and keep aside.Add water 3/4th of the size of the pot, then 1/2 cup milk and leave it to boil in the pot.



2. Rinse rice with water then add it with moongdhal in the rice pot. Add some water ,such that the rice is fully immersed.



3. Now add remaining milk and mix well.Allow rice to cook till mashy and add coconut.



4. After the rice is cooked well, add strained jaggery syrup and mix well.Now add coconut and keep stirring in low flame till it becomes thick and combined well. Add ghee, raisins, elachi powder at this stage, and garnish with cashews.Serve hot!

Ven Pongal - Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Moong dhal - 1/4 cup

Coconut - 2 tbsp

Cashews - few broken and fried in ghee

Milk - 1 cup

Method:

Follow steps 1-4

5.Switch off flame, after rice is cooked well and is thick.Garnish with ghee fried cashews.Serve hot.

NOTE :

Don't skip coconut here as its the only main ingredient that gives flavour to the pongal.

Any veggie gravy will get along with this very well, so when combined and had, no salt is required!

I usually prefer chakarai pongal as I have a sweet tooth! :)