Preparation Method:-
1. Cooking the Rice and Lentils:
* Wash 1 cup of raw rice and 2 tablespoons of moong dal together 2–3 times until the water runs clear.
* Soak the washed mixture in enough water for about 30 minutes.
* After soaking, drain the water and transfer the rice and dal to a pressure cooker.
* Add 4 cups of water. Close the lid and cook on high flame for 4 whistles.
* Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and use a ladle to thoroughly mash the rice and dal while they are still hot and soft.
2. Preparing the Jaggery Syrup:
* In a saucepan, add 2 cups of jaggery and ¾ cup of water.
* Heat on high flame until the jaggery melts completely. There is no need to reach a string consistency; it just needs to dissolve.
* Filter the syrup to remove any impurities or grit.
3. Mixing the Pongal:
* Gradually pour the filtered jaggery syrup into the mashed rice. Mix continuously to avoid lumps.
* If the mixture feels too thick, you can add a little hot water to adjust the consistency.
* Add ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon of ghee.
* Turn on the stove and cook the mixture on high flame for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to let the flavors meld.
4. Tempering with Nuts and Raisins:
* In a small tempering pan, heat ¼ cup of ghee.
* Add the cashew nuts and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove the cashews and set aside.
* In the same ghee, add the raisins and fry until they puff up like balloons.
* Pour the hot ghee, fried cashews, and raisins into the rice mixture.
5. Final Touch:
* Give everything a final thorough mix so the ghee is well incorporated into the pongal.
* Turn off the heat and serve your delicious, sweet temple-style pongal!