Chakra Pongal

Hi
I finally joined the blogging marathon started by srivalli. I always wanted to blog regularly but just needed a little push i guess:-) To start off the marathon i wanted to blog about a sweet dish and when i was blog hopping ,I saw this recipe in Priya's blog and could not stop from trying it out. Her recipes always comes out perfectly. And since it was sweet pongal (pongal festival is nearing) , i had all the more reason to try this out and i must say that "one of the best sweet pongal that i have tried so far". I tweaked the recipe a little by omitting the condensed milk and replacing it with jaggery.Today happens to be Koodaravalli and this is the perfect offering to the lord.
For traditional sakkarai pongal click here

The original recipe is here
INGREDIENTS
Barley 1 cup

Green gram dhal/ Moong dhal 1/2 cup

Jaggery 1 1/2 cup

Ghee 2-3 tbsp

Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Few raisins and cashew for garnishing

PREPARATION

Wash and soak the barley in water for 1-2 hours

Cook the barley with the green gram dhal in a pressure cooker up to to 3 whistles. Take it off from the fire and allow it to cool down

Grate the jaggery and add water to make a syrup (the water level needs to be just above the level of jaggery)

Boil this syrup in a medium flame till it reaches a hard ball consistency

TO TEST THIS, ADD A SPOON OF SYRUP TO A CUP OF WATER, IF IT DOES NOT DISSOLVE AND CAN BE FORMED INTO A BALL , IT HAS REACHED THE HARD BALL CONSISTENCY STAGE(THE BALL SHOULD NOT BE SOFT WHEN TAKEN OUT OF WATER

Now sprinkle the cardamom powder and mix well.

At this stage add the cooked barley-dhal mixture and continue to cook in medium flame till the whole mixture begins to thicken.(Be careful when you add the cooked barley mixture into the hot boiling syrup as it tends to splutter and might land on your tender fingers)

Add the ghee, mix and take it out from the fire.

Yummy sweet pongal is ready to cater to our sweet tooth.