Ganesh Chathurdhi Speacials :Chakra Pongal/Pongali From Pakashalaindiankitchen

Chakara Pongal/Pongali is a sweet and buttery porridge-like dish that is traditionally prepared in South India for any festival as prashad to Hindu dities. The ven pongal variety differs only in the spices added, and the two are often cooked together from the same batch of rice and dhal.

Ingredients

• ½ cup rice
• ⅓ to ½ cup moong dal / pesara pappu or Soaked Chana Dal (Chik peas)
• ½ cup powdered or grated jaggery
• ⅛ tsp. green cardamom powder
• Small Pinch of edible camphor / pacha karpooram (optional)
• 2 to 3 tbsps. Ghee (you can reduce it to 1)
• 1 tbsp. raisins 
• 1 to 2 tbsps. Cashews broken
• 1 to 2 cloves (optional)

Note :Chana dal should be soaked for at least 2 hours 

Instructions

1. Add moong dal or  to a heavy bottom pan or pressure cooker and roast it till they turn fragrant
2. Add rice to the same pan and wash them at least twice.
3. Pour 2 ¼ cups of water. add soaked chana dal  Cook till soft either in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles or in the pot.
4. Pour ¼ cup water to grated jaggery. On a low flame stir and melt it. Keep this aside.
5. When the pressure from the cooker is down, remove the lid and mash the rice.
6. Filter jaggery syrup to the cooked rice dal
7. Add green cardamom powder. Mix and cook on a medium flame till the jaggery syrup blends well with rice. It should begin to bubble up well. Off the stove
8. Heat a pan with ghee, add cashews, clove and fry till golden, off the stove and add raisins, camphor. Mix this with the rice.

Notes

Adding too much of camphor, can leave bitterness to the pongal.
Before you add jaggery to the rice, make sure it is cooked thoroughly soft. Rice tends to harden if the rice is not mashed or the pongal is overcooked