Sweet Pongal( Sakkarai Pongal)

Ingredients

• Saffron Strands - a pinch 
• Cashews, Almonds, Raisins - about 1/4 cup 
• Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut milk-1/2cup
• Water - 4 cups 
• Milk-2Cup
• Ghee - 1/4 cup
• Jaggery (crushed) - 1.5 cups
• Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
• Raw Rice - 1 cup

Method

1. Take a pressure cooker and dry roast the moong dal for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the rice to this. Now add the 2 cups of water with 2 cups of milk , 1/2 cup of coconut milkand 1 tsp ghee.
3. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles till the rice and dal is cooked soft. You can also cook the mixture in a rice cooker or an open pot.
4. In the meantime, heat 1 Tbsp of ghee and fry the nuts and raisins. Keep this aside.
5. Next, melt the crushed Jaggery with 1 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pot/pan.
6. Once the jaggery has melted, you can strain it to remove any dirt. This step can be skipped if the jaggery is pure.
7. Return the strained jaggery back to the pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
8. Mash the cooked rice-dal mixture partially and add it to the simmering jaggery syrup.
9. Add the remaining ghee, cardamom powder, saffron strands and the roasted nuts. Mix together and let it simmer for few minutes till everything comes together into a gooey pongal consistency
10. Switch off. The pongal continues to thicken as it cools