Chakkar Pongal

Ingredients :

• Long grain rice – 2 cup
• Split green gram (without skin) – 1 cup
• Fresh coconut cut, small pieces or shredded coconut – ½ cup
• Ghee – ¾ cup
• Sugar – 2 ½ cup
• Cardamoms - 6
• Raisins and cashews – 4 tbsp
• Milk – 2 cup
• Water - 2 ½ cup

Method :

1.  Dry roast the split green gram on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes till it becomes light pink and a nice aroma arises.
2.  Cook the rice and split green gram in 2 cups milk with 2 ½ cups water in rice cooker or on stove in a pan.
3.  In the meantime, while it is cooking melt the 3 tablespoons of ghee and fry the raisins and cashews on medium heat till cashews turn light golden, drain them and fry coconut pieces or shredded coconut in the same ghee till golden. Set all these seasoning aside.
4. Crush the cardamom to powder.
5.  When the rice gets cooked, remove the rice and place it in a pan large enough to hold it and the sugar. Add sugar, cook on medium heat till all  the sugar is absorbed. Stir it often to avoid burning.
6.  After the sugar has been absorbed add ½ cup ghee and turn off the stove.
7.  Add the fried coconut, cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Stir it and let it stay on the stove for 2 or 3 minutes.
8.  Afterwards remove from heat.
9.  Serve warm.

Appam

Ingredients :

Boiled rice – 200 gms
Horse bean – 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
Salt - ¼ tsp
Coconut milk or tender coconut water - 1 cup
Baking soda - ¼ tsp

Method :

1.  Soak par boiled rice, horse bean and fenugreek seeds for 3-4 hours and grind nicely.
2.  Leave this flour overnight to get sour.
3.  Add coconut milk/tender coconut water, salt and baking soda to the flour.
4.  Heat a thick pan.
5.  Pour a laddle of flour inside the pan. Shake the pan in a circular motion so that the flour spreads and expands along the edges or spread it with the help of the laddle.
6.  Cook covered for a few minutes until the appam becomes soft.

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