Pongal - Thai Thirunal

Pongal is a harvest festival - the Tamil equivalent of Thanksgiving. In an agriculture based civilization the harvest plays an important part. The farmer cultivating his land depends on cattle, timely rain and the Sun. Once a year, he expresses his gratitude to these during the harvest festival. With the end of the wet month of Margazhi (mid December to mid January) the new Tamil month ofThai heralds a series of festivals. The first day of this month is a festival day known as "Pongal Day". Pongal means the "boiling over" of milk and rice during the month of Thai.

Pongal - Thai Thirunal

Ingredients

» 1 cup Raw Rice

» 1/2 cup Green Gram Dal

» 1 cup Milk

» 3 cups Jaggery (powdered)

» 4 tbsp Ghee

» 2 tbsp Cashewnuts

» 2 tbsp Raisins

» 5 no Cardamoms (powdered)

» 2 no Cloves (powdered)

» 1 small piece Nutmeg (grated or powdered)

» A pinch of Saffron

» 2 1/2 cups Water

Method

1. Roast dry the green gram dal for a couple of minutes. 

2. Cook the rice and green gram dhal with 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup milk in the microwave and set aside. 

3. Dissolve the jaggery in 3/4 cup water and cook on a low heat till the jaggery melts. 

4. Strain the jaggery to remove the dirt. 

5. Put the syrup once more on the heat and stir till it becomes slightly sticky. 

6. Add the cooked rice and dhal. 

7. Heat the 4 tbsp ghee. 

8. Fry the cashewnuts and raisins and add to the pongal. 

9. Add the powdered cardamoms, cloves nutmeg and saffron.

10. Mix well and serve hot.