Chakkara Pongali (Sweet Pongal)

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1/2 Cup.
• Mung dal + Chana dal - (3:1) - 1/2 cup (Lentils).
• Ghee (Butter)
• Cashewnuts
• kismis
• Milk - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1.5 cups
• Cardamom powder

Preparation:

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashewnuts and kismiss till brown and keep it aside.

In the same ghee fry the mung dal and chana dal for some time and then fry the rice. Add 2 cups of water and allow the rice to cook. Stir in between continuosly. Once the water is gone add the milk. Let it cook with the milk. Once the rice is completely cooked add sugar. Dont worry if the cooked pongali is hard because when its mixed with sugar it becomes soft.

Season it with cashewnuts, kismiss and Cardamom powder.

Serve Hot or cold.

Carrot Kheer (Payasam, Carrot Pudding)

Ingredients:

• Carrots (shredded) - 2 to 3
• Ghee - 1 tb spn
• Cashews (Kaju)
• Cardammom (Elaichi) - 2 no.
• Raisins (Kissmiss)
• Milk - 1/2 lit
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Optional (Pinch of Borneo-camphor (pacha karpooram) and a pinch of Saffron (kumkum puvvu))

Preparation:

Fry shredded carrots in ghee for 1 min. Sprinkle some water on it and cook it under closed lid. Cook till the shred softens. Add milk to the shred and mix well. Stir frequently and get the milk to a boil. Set this aside and let it cool.

Fry Cashews and Raisins in Ghee and set it aside. Powder cardammom seeds.

Add sugar to the kheer (milk+shred) and add the fried cashews and raisins and sprinkle the cardammom powder along with the optional ingredients (kumkum puvvu and pacha karpooram).

Serve hot or cold. (The colder the better it tastes).