Rice & Lentil Pudding...Chakarai Pongal - Think Spice

Last Monday being Victoria day we had a long weekend in Canada. Enjoyed watching the Fire works with kids from our balcony. And whats a holiday if it doesn't end with a sweet dish. I thought it would be right to post this pudding...for the Think Spice Food event. The spice for this month is "Cardamom"

This dessert which is mostly prepared for festivals in South India. "Chakarai Pongal" Chakarai in Tamil means Sugar. Pongal is the combo of cooked Rice and Moong Dhall.
Ingredients:
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong Dhall - 1-1/2 cup
Jaggery 400 to 500gms or Sugar - 1.5 to 2 cups (depending upon your sweet tolerance level)
Cardamon powder - 5 pods
Salt - a pinch
Coconut small pieces or shredded - 1/2 cup (optional)
Milk - 1 cup (optional)
ghee - 1/4 cup
Cashew and raisins fried in ghee - 1/4 cup

Procedure:
Wash & Pressure cook Rice and Dhall almost to paste consistency.
Make a jaggery or sugar syrup and add to the cooked rice and dhall mixture.
Add salt, cardamom powder, coconut, and milk.
Mix well and now add the ghee and stir well for the ghee to penetrate through the whole mixture.
Add the fried raisins and cashews and remove from heat.
Serve warm.

This is my entry for Think Spice - Cardamom originally created by Sunitha, and this month hosted by EasyCrafts.