Chekkara Pongali

Ingredients:

Rice - 1/2 cup

Moong dal (Pesarapappu) - 3 tbsp

Jaggery / Sugar - 1/2 cup 

Milk - 1/4 cup

Elachi powder - large pinch

Cashews - 10-12

Raisins - 8-10

Water - 2 cups + 3 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Dry roast moong dal for 1-2 minutes under low flame and set aside. Similarly add one tbsp ghee and roast cashews and raisins until they turn to golden brown.
2. Boil moong dal and rice together with 2 cups water and set aside. Once it reaches to room temperature mash it by adding milk and set aside.
3. Meanwhile take a cooking vessel, add jaggery/sugar, 3 tbsp of water and heat under low flame until thin syrup is formed. Sprinkle some elachi powder and mix well.
4. Transfer jaggery syrup in to mashed rice and stir well. Finally add ghee, roasted cashews, raisins and mix well until the mixture comes together.

TIP: Adjust jaggery/sugar according to your taste. The color of the dessert depends on the color of the jaggery used. Here I used very light color jaggery.