Chakara pongali - Dussera Prasad

Ingredients:

• Rice- 1 cup
• Moong dal- 3/4 cup
• Jaggery- 1 to  1 1/2 cup grated and melted in 1/2 cup water
• Milk- 1 3/4 cup
• Water- 2 cups + 1/2 cup extra if required
• Cardamom- 3
• Edible camphor- tiniest bit, less than 1/4 of your finger nail. (Paccha Karpooram)
• Cashews- 5-7
• Raisins- 6-8
• Dry coconut- 1 inch piece, thinly sliced into small flakes
• Ghee- 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Dry roast the moong dal for 3 minutes. 
2. Now wash the rice and roasted dal twice.
3. Meanwhile add 2 cups water and 1 3/4 cup milk to a non stick pan so that they heat up.
4. To this add the washed rice and dal. Let it come to boil and cover with lid. Keep the heat between simmer and medium. 
5. Check occasionally so that it doesn't flow out. The froth of the cooking dal with tend to spill over if we are not careful.
6. Meanwhile add 1 tbsp ghee to a smaller pan and roast cashews till golden.
7. Now add the dry coconut flakes and as they change color add the raisins. 
8. Turn off the heat once the raisins swell. Keep aside.
9. Strain the jaggery water and boil it on simmer for 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat.
10. Crush the cardamom and edible camphor and keep ready.
11. Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid and let the milk get soaked up. If you feel the rice is still raw add the half cup water and cook. 
12. When the mixture turns thick, gently pour in the jaggery water stirring continuously. 
13. Keep the heat in simmer during then. It is to prevent the splitting of any remaining milk. 
14. Add the crushed cardamom powder and mix well. Let it cook till it starts to thicken.
15. Now add 3 tbsp ghee, roasted nuts and mix well. Keep mixing to prevent it form sticking to the pan. 
16. After 7-10 minutes the pongal will start to come together. 
17. Since we are using non stick pan, turn off the heat and let it cool.
18. As it cools down the pongal will thicken up. 
19. Serve hot or cold. 

Notes:

1. Save a few roasted nuts for final topping.
2. The entire preparation can be done in a pressure cooker as well.
3. Follow the standard ratio of 1:2 for rice: water.
4. The amount of ghee can be reduced or increased.