Kesar pista nankhatai (Saffron-pistachio cookies)

Until yesterday, I'd only ever seen nankhatai in photos on various blogs (most of them very, very beautifully shot photos, I might add). Never seen them in real life, never eaten any (not that I know of and not by that name), never baked any. Since Diwali is next week, and because I'd just bought a lovely big bag of pistachios recently, and also because our friends were going to drop by and I wanted to bake something for them with an Indian touch, I decided to make nankhatai with the pistachios and the last of my stash of saffron. The recipe I followed is on Nandita's Saffron Trail blog. My only two additions were pistachio nuts in the dough itself, and extra milk as the ghee alone was nowhere near enough to bind the mixture together to make a dough. 

And what a good decision it was. I love saffron - although I don't use it often because it's expensive - and I love pistachios, and I know they're a flavour match made in heaven (fictitious place, obvs, but the match is very real and the flavours are very lovely!). These cookies are very moreish - they're not too sweet, the saffron flavour is awesome, the pistachios are delicious and the semolina gives the nankhatai a lovely crunch. Be sure to use fine semolina, though, otherwise, the nankhatai might have a sandy mouthfeel rather than crispness. Happy eating, people!

Recipe for: Kesar pista nankhatai (saffron pistachio cookies)



Ingredients:

1.5 cups plain flour
2.5 tbsp chickpea flour
1/2 tbsp fine sooji (semolina)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup slivered pistachio nuts
2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios (optional)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 tsp saffron strands, crushed in a small mortar-pestle
Milk as required

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

2. Sift together the flours, semolina and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix in the slivered pistachio nuts and set aside. Warm 2 tbsp of the milk and let the saffron steep in it for 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the ghee, powdered sugar and saffron-milk until smooth, then add the flour mixture. Add extra milk a tablespoon at a time until you can form a soft dough. Be careful not to add too much liquid.

4. Roll the dough into balls the size of large marbles and place on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick paper or foil, leaving a gap of about 1.5 inches. At this point, if you wish, you can make a dimple in the centre of each cookie with your thumb and sprinkle a pinch of the chopped pistachios. If not, just flatten each ball slightly and place in the preheated oven.

5. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are a pale brown, switching the tray around after 10 minutes so that they brown evenly.

6. Remove to a wire cooling rack. The cookies will crisp up as they cool.

7. Try not to eat all the nankhatai yourself.

Fresh fruit rava kesari

I don't make sweets often, but once in a while something like Cilantro's fruit kesari catches my fancy, and then it's like a craving - so here's my craving, which I made yesterday. It's just a coincidence that it's Deepavali and the kesari is appropriate as an offering. It's even more convenient that I could use up some over-soft soft fruit that I might have thrown away if not for the craving.

Now if only someone would make me thenkuzhal and thattai...

Ah well. Happy Deepavali to everybody, and may light and happiness be ever in your lives.

Recipe for: Fresh fruit rava kesari




Ingredients:

1/2 cup rava/sooji/semolina
1-1/2 cups water
1/8 tsp saffron threads (a pinch) left to soak in 1/4 cup warm milk for 15 minutes
10-12 seedless red grapes, halved or quartered
1 small orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 small ripe banana, chopped
1 small ripe plum, stoned and chopped
1 tbsp raisins or sultanas (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
5 tsp ghee
2 tbsp nuts (I used walnuts and pecans)

Method:

1. Heat 2 tsp ghee in a heavy-based medium size pan and fry the rava/sooji/semolina on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes till the rava turns a slightly darker shade and smells roasted. Be careful that it doesn't burn. Remove to a bowl till required.

2. In the same pan, heat another tsp ghee and fry the nuts on medium heat, stirring till they are fragrant and turn a darker shade. Remove the nuts from the pan and reserve.

3. Heat the fourth tsp of ghee in the same pan, and add all the fruits, letting them cook on medium-low heat till they are soft and squishy, about 5 minutes.

4. Now add the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat a little and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.

5. Add the roasted rava/sooji/semolina now, stirring all the while to mix evenly. Let this cook until the kesari begins to thicken, then add the saffron milk and stir it in. Keep stirring frequently to ensure that it does not burn or become lumpy.

6. When the kesari is no longer watery and has "come together" in a soft mass, stir in the fried nuts along with the remaining tsp ghee. Serve the kesari warm in small bowls. 

Tip: You can also spread the kesari on a greased plate and let it cool, then cut it into squares or diamonds for a more elegant (and convenient) presentation.

Chana (chickpeas) bhuna

I think I may have found the most PERFECT masala recipe I've ever tried, and all thanks to Sangeeta of Banaras ka Khana blog. Her blog is one of my favourites, because she has North Indian recipes which are not so well known (at least to me) as the usual things you get endlessly everywhere. I like reading about typical everyday recipes which are still not common outside of individual homes, and Sangeeta's blog is the perfect place to find these.

I tried this masala with cooked chickpeas because I had some, and loved the result so much that I've made it (with different dals) four times in the last 10 days... although not (yet) with the original split chickpeas (or chana dal) that Sangeetha used. I've tried it both as a thick sauce and as a runnier one, and it makes not a whit of difference - other than the clingy sauce is better with whole chickpeas.

I reduced the peppercorns to 1/2 tsp because I can't take the heat from them (but chilli-heat is more than bearable, go figure), but otherwise the recipe is no different - well, apart from having used chickpeas, that is. Do try it - it's pretty quick to make, too, especially if you use canned chickpeas.

Recipe for: Chana bhuna

Ingredients:3-4 cups cooked chickpeas (or two cans' worth)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp ghee or oil (I used oil)
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste

For grinding:

1/2" piece cinnamon stick
1 small black cardamom (seeds only)
1 htsp coriander seeds
1 htsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
4-5 dried red chillies (or to taste)
3 garlic cloves
1" ginger root
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder - optional
3-4 tbsp water

Method:1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala into a smooth, fairly thick paste. Use only as much water as required to make it smooth.

2. Heat the oil/ghee in a pan, then add the cumin seeds.

3. Once the seeds sizzle, add the chopped onion and stir.

Let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so, till it becomes soft and pinkish.
4. Now add the ground masala paste to the cooked onion

and stir it in.

5. Fry it (bhuno) on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, till the paste is well amalgamated, thick and intensely aromatic. Any excess water should have evaporated.

6. Now add the chickpeas along with salt to taste

and stir till it is all well mixed.

7. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes more (longer if it is watery), then take it off the heat.

Serve hot with chapaties or puris.
Note: The curry tastes best when the masala coats the chickpeas thickly, so make sure the masala is not runny.

RECIPE: CHANA BHUNA
Ingredients:
3-4 cups cooked chickpeas (or two cans' worth)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
For grinding:
1/2" piece cinnamon stick
1 small black cardamom (seeds only)
1 htsp coriander seeds
1 htsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
4-5 dried red chillies (or to taste)
3 garlic cloves
1" ginger root
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder - optional
3-4 tbsp water
Method:
1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala into a smooth, fairly thick paste. Use only as much water as required to make it smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, then add the cumin seeds.
3. Once the seeds sizzle, add the chopped onion and stir. Let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so, till it becomes soft and pinkish.
4. Now add the ground masala paste to the cooked onion and stir it in.
5. Fry it (bhuno) on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, till the paste is well amalgamated, thick and intensely aromatic. Any excess water should have evaporated.
6. Now add the chickpeas along with salt to taste and stir till it is all well mixed.
7. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes more, then take it off the heat. Serve hot with chapaties or puris.
Note: The curry tastes best when the masala coats the chickpeas thickly, so make sure the masala is not runny.

Spinach black-sesame masala rice

I'm sure that there are dozens of recipes for green rice Indian-style on the blogosphere, and dozens more if you were to look for "spinach rice" or "spinach pulao" or "spinach masala rice" or for any such combination that you care to come up with... but, like Frank Sinatra (much) before me, I didn't do it in any of those other dozens of ways - instead, I did it "Myyyyyy Waaaaaaayyy". Just be glad that I cooked it Myyyyyy Waaaaaaayyy, instead of singing it - I don't think that my singing would be particularly appreciated, whereas chances of my recipe being appreciated are quite good... or so I like to think. But, more importantly - what do YOU think?
Recipe for: Spinach black-sesame masala rice

Ingredients:
4-5 cups basmati rice, pre-cooked al dente
1 cup shredded green cabbage (I used savoy)
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed or left whole
1 tsp ghee
10-15 cashewnuts, broken, for garnish
a pinch of soda bicarb
Salt to taste
For the wet masala
1 cup chopped spinach, loosely packed
1 cup chopped coriander leaves, loosely packed
4-5 green chillies (or as per taste)

1" piece ginger
For the dry masala
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp tur dal
2-3 dry red chillies (optional)

Method:
1. Grind all the ingredients for the wet masala to a smooth paste and set aside till required.

Do not add any extra water while grinding.
2. Dry-roast the dry masala ingredients in a small pan over medium heat,

stirring frequently, till they are aromatic and the dal is golden brown. Do not let them burn. When cool, grind them to a powder (doesn't have to be very smooth) and reserve.

3. Heat the ghee in a big kadai or wok and fry the cashew nuts till they are a pale golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside till required.
4. In the same pan, heat the 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 10 seconds, then add the sliced onion.
5. Fry 2-3 till they begin to soften, then add the cabbage.

Stir well, then cover the pan tightly and let the cabbage cook till nearly done, about 7 minutes.

6. Now add the ground spinach masala with a pinch of soda bicarb and fry it for about 5-6 minutes, stirring,

until it loses most of the excess moisture and doesn't smell raw any more.

7. Add the cooked rice now, along with salt to taste,

and mix it in carefully with the masala, without mushing up the grains,

then stir in the dry masala powder.
8. Sprinkle the chopped mint and fried cashewnuts over the rice,

and serve hot along with fried papad/appalam or potato crisps, and onion raita.

RECIPE: SPINACH BLACK-SESAME MASALA RICE
Ingredients:
4-5 cups basmati rice, pre-cooked al dente
1 cup shredded green cabbage (I used savoy)
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed or left whole
1 tsp ghee
10-15 cashewnuts, broken, for garnish
a pinch of soda bicarb
Salt to taste
For the wet masala
1 cup chopped spinach, loosely packed
1 cup chopped coriander leaves, loosely packed
4-5 green chillies (or as per taste)
1" piece ginger
For the dry masala
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp tur dal
2-3 dry red chillies (optional)
Method
1. Grind all the ingredients for the wet masala to a smooth paste and set aside till required. Do not add any extra water while grinding.
2. Dry-roast the dry masala ingredients in a small pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, till they are aromatic and the dal is golden brown. Do not let them burn. When cool, grind them to a
powder (doesn't have to be very smooth) and reserve.
3. Heat the ghee in a big kadai or wok and fry the cashew nuts till they are a pale golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside till required.
4. In the same pan, heat the 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 10 seconds, then add the sliced onion.
5. Fry 2-3 till they begin to soften, then add the cabbage. Stir well, then cover the pan tightly and let the cabbage cook till nearly done, about 7 minutes.
6. Now add the ground spinach masala with a pinch of soda bicarb and fry it for about 5-6 minutes, stirring, until it loses most of the excess moisture and doesn't smell raw any more.
7. Add the cooked rice now, along with salt to taste, and mix it in carefully with the masala without mushing up the grains, then stir in the dry masala powder.
8. Sprinkle the chopped mint and fried cashewnuts over the rice, and serve hot along with fried papad/appalam or potato crisps, and onion raita.

Pinto bean parathas

I'm beginning to wonder if I should call these "recipes" - they're so basic and samey in the making, especially if you're Indian and make/eat rotis/parathas/etc often. Still, the difference in flavour is obviously marked, different with every filling you choose to use (well, duh, I know).


I don't think I've used a beany filling before, so it's an opportunity to say I used a beany filling and, at the same time, increase the number of recipes on my blog by one. My aim this year is to reach 500 posts, and oh man, is it ever a slooooowwww process! I'm currently at 467, and it's high time I touched the 500 mark - especially as this blog has been going for close on 7 years!


(Actually, it will complete 7 years on the 17th of May - I just checked!). All compliments, congratulations and wah-bhai-wahs as well as encouragement to continue will be graciously and humbly accepted.)

So, the pinto bean filling - it came about simply because there was a small box of leftover cooked beans in the fridge. I just LOVE pinto beans - they're so creamy when cooked, the texture is just lovely. They're probably my most favourite bean, next to chickpeas which, ok, are not a bean really, I know... but you know what I mean, don't you?

Recipe for: Pinto bean parathas


Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp omam (ajwain/bishopsweed/carom seeds)
1/3 cup cooked pinto beans

1/2 tsp garam masala/pav bhaji masala or spice mix of choice
Water as required
Salt to taste
Pam spray/oil/butter/ghee as required


Method:
1. Put the flour and omam in a medium size bowl, make a well in the middle and add the yogurt. Mix it in, then make a soft dough using just as much water as required. Knead for 2-3 minutes, then cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mash together the pinto beans, garam masala/pav bhaji masala and salt to taste. Reserve.

3. Pinch off a small lime-sized bit off the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured board.
4. Place a tablespoon of the pinto bean paste in the middle of the rolled out dough,

bring the edges in and make a ball, being careful to seal the filling inside fully. Then roll the ball out into a round paratha.

5. Heat a tava/pancake pan on medium high and place a paratha on it. Cook the paratha for about 30 seconds, then flip it over and spray it with Pam or spread a little butter/oil/ghee.

Turn it over again and do the same with the other side. Cook both sides until the paratha acquires golden brown spots. Continue the same way with the rest of the dough.
6. Serve hot with pickles and yogurt, or with any gravy curry, or even coconut chutney.


RECIPE FOR: PINTO BEAN PARATHAS

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp omam (ajwain/bishopsweed/carom seeds)

1/3 cup cooked pinto beans

1/2 tsp garam masala/pav bhaji masala or spice mix of choice
Water as required
Salt to taste
Pam spray/oil/butter/ghee as required


Method:
1. Put the flour and omam in a medium size bowl, make a well in the middle and add the yogurt. Mix it in, then make a soft dough using just as much water as required. Knead for 2-3 minutes, then cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mash together the pinto beans, garam masala/pav bhaji masala and salt to taste. Reserve.
3. Pinch off a small lime-sized bit off the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured board. 
4. Place a tablespoon of the pinto bean paste in the middle of the rolled out dough, bring the edges in and make a ball, being careful to seal the filling inside fully. Then roll the ball out into a round paratha. 
5. Heat a tava/pancake pan on medium high and place a paratha on it. Cook the paratha for about 30 seconds, then flip it over and spray it with Pam or spread a little butter/oil/ghee. Turn it over again and do the same with the other side. Cook both sides until the paratha acquires golden brown spots. Continue the same way with the rest of the dough. 
6. Serve hot with pickles and yogurt, or with any gravy curry or even chutney. 

Pea shoot parathas

I honestly didn’t know I was going to make pea shoot parathas until I grabbed a handful of pea shoots (left over from making a salad) and used them to make a paratha (which was actually only going to be a phulka until the pea shoots stuffed themselves into the equation, as it were).

So this is not a recipe so much as a way of recording the fact that I used pea shoots – raw, unadorned, not even so much as chopped – to make parathas. The only flavouring came from the omam seeds (bishopsweed/ajwain/carom) which I had added to the paratha dough. Basically I was trying to interfere as minimally as possible with the gentle flavour of the pea shoots. I ate the parathas with stir-fried cabbage as a side, and was quite pleased with the end result.

One note of warning, though – don’t roll out the parathas much in advance of cooking them, because the pea shoots will release enough moisture to make the uncooked parathas stick miserably to whatever you placed them on. Basically, just get a rhythm going where one paratha cooking on the hob while you’re rolling out the next.

If you don’t like the thought of the unseasoned pea-shoot filling, feel free to use whatever seasoning/masala takes your fancy – just make sure that it’s as dry as possible.

I’d recommend chopping the pea shoots, because it will make it easier to roll out the parathas with the filling. I didn’t get around to chopping mine because I hadn’t given any thought beforehand to using them in the first place!

Recipe for: Pea shoot parathas

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp carom seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped
water as required
Pam spray/butter/ghee/oil to cook the parathas
Extra flour for dusting

Method:
1. Combine the flour, carom seeds and salt, and make a pliant, soft dough using as much water as required. Let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes.
2. Pinch a lemon-sized piece of dough and roll it into a ball, then flatten it between your palms. Roll it out on a lightly floured board into a small circle, using more flour to dust the dough as required to stop it from sticking.

3. Place 2 tablespoons of chopped pea shoots in the centre of the dough, then fold to enclose the filling.

Lightly flatten the dough, then roll out into a circle that's about 6cm across and 1/4 cm thick.

4. Place the paratha on a medium hot tava/pancake pan and let it cook for 30 seconds or so.

Flip it over and grease the top, then turn it over again after 30 seconds and grease that side as well.

Let the paratha cook until both sides acquire golden spots and are cooked. Keep warm in a cloth-lined container while you make the rest of the parathas. Serve them warm with any curry.

RECIPE: PEA SHOOT PARATHAS
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp carom seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped
water as required
Pam spray/butter/ghee/oil to cook the parathas
Extra flour for dusting


Method:
1. Combine the flour, carom seeds and salt, and make a pliant, soft dough using as much water as required. Let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes.
 2. Pinch a lemon-sized piece of dough and roll it into a ball, then flatten it between your palms. Roll it out on a lightly floured board into a small circle, using more flour to dust the dough as required to stop it from sticking.
 3. Place 2 tablespoons of the chopped pea shoots in the centre of the dough, then fold  to enclose the filling. Lightly flatten the dough, then roll out into a circle that's about 6cm across and 1/4 cm thick.
 4. Place the paratha on a medium hot tava/pancake pan and let it cook for 30 seconds or so. Flip it over and grease the top, then turn it over again after 30 seconds and grease that side as well. Let the paratha cook until both sides acquire golden spots and are cooked. Keep warm in a cloth-lined container while you make the rest of the parathas in the same way. Serve the parathas warm with any curry.

Pineapple rava (semolina) kesari

The most common South Indian item made with rava or semolina is upma. Upma is not my first choice of breakfast or tiffin items, as I might have mentioned before. I don’t hate it, it’s just not my first choice. If I do have it at home, I like it plain, without anything added to jazz it up - like onions or tomatoes or ginger or any other vegetables – but with sugar sprinkled on top, or on the side – I’m not fussy (oh, the irony).

But when it comes to rava kesari, I have no objections at all. A friend who knows of my tepid feelings towards upma once commented that rava kesari is just sweet upma. I’m not certain now, but I think she might have been trying to put me off my serving of kesari – too bad for her it didn’t work. There was no sharing involved from my side, I can tell you.

When I first read about pineapple kesari, a great big light bulb seemed to go off in my head, illuminating every last cobweb in there – now WHY hadn’t the idea of pineapple kesari occurred to me? Adding one of my favourite fruits to a sweet that I liked even “plain” – how perfectly delicious!

And so it was – perfectly delicious.

Note: I have to add that my kesari was a bit on the dry side (ok by me) because I skimped on the ghee – well, slightly skimped. If you, on the other hand, weigh in on the skimpy side of the scales, by all means add another generous tablespoon of the good stuff. Your pineapple kesari will not suffer for it, I assure you.

Recipe for: Pineapple rava  (cream of wheat) kesari

Ingredients:


1/2 cup rava (semolina)

1/4 tsp saffron strands
4 tbsp warm milk
1/2 cup hot milk
1/4 cup crushed/chopped pineapple (fresh or canned)

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/8 tsp cardamom powder
4-5 cashews, broken in pieces
1 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp raisins or mixed dried berries



Method:


1. Add saffron to 4 tbsp warm milk and set aside to soak.

2. Mix the sugar, pineapple and water together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and leave it for 3-4 minutes while you get the rava ready.

3. Melt the ghee in a small pan and add the cashews and raisins/berries.

Fry on medium heat till the cashews turn golden brown and the raisins/berries puff up. Remove from pan and reserve.

4. Toast the rava (semolina) on low heat in the same pan till it turns a darker shade and becomes aromatic.

5. Now carefully pour the boiling pineapple mixture over the toasted rava, stirring briskly to avoid lumps forming.

6. Stir in the hot milk as well. Cook the rava for 2-3 minutes longer, then add the ghee-fried cashews and raisins/berries. Serve hot.



RECIPE: PINEAPPLE RAVA (SEMOLINA) KESARI

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rava (semolina)
1/4 tsp saffron strands
4 tbsp warm milk
1/2 cup hot milk
1/4 cup crushed/chopped pineapple (fresh or canned)
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/8 tsp cardamom powder
4-5 cashews, broken in pieces
1 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp raisins or mixed dried berries


Method:
1. Add saffron to 4 tbsp warm milk and set aside to soak.
2. Mix the sugar, pineapple and water together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and leave it for 3-4 minutes while you get the rava ready.
3. Melt the ghee in a small pan and add the cashews and raisins/berries. Fry on medium heat till the cashews turn golden brown and the raisins/berries puff up. Remove from pan and reserve.
4. Toast the rava (semolina) on low heat in the same pan till it turns a darker shade and becomes aromatic.
5. Now carefully pour the boiling pineapple mixture over the toasted rava, stirring briskly to avoid lumps forming.
6. Stir in the hot milk as well. Cook the rava for 2-3 minutes longer, then add the ghee-fried cashews and raisins/berries. Serve hot.

Brown rice chakkara pongal

My two pennies on the matter of brown-rice chakkara pongal: It takes longer to cook but tastes chewier and better than regular chakkara pongal.

Other points to note:

1. It might not take YOU as long as it did me to cook the brown rice, even in a pressure cooker, if you know:
a) how long it takes to cook brown rice, and
b) how much liquid to add per measure of brown rice so that it is not just perfectly cooked, but perfectly overcooked (as required for pongal).

2. Following on from 1(b) above - and if 1(a) and (b) don’t apply to you, the way they didn’t to me - your pressure-cooked brown rice+dal might be slightly swimming in milk. This will not matter if:
a) You boil the heck out of the pongal to reduce down the excess milk to the consistency you like, and
b) You like your chakkara pongal to be slightly runny even when cold, rather than so thick that you can slice it.

3. I substituted flaked almonds for the more traditional cashewnuts because I didn’t have the more traditional cashewnuts. You don’t have to do what I did. Especially if you DO have cashewnuts.

With these facts and caveats to hand, you may now go on to the

Recipe for: Brown rice chakkara pongal


Ingredients:

1 tbsp moong dal
3 tbsp brown basmati rice
1/4 cup jaggery
Seeds from 3 cardamom pods
1-1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp raisins
1 htsp ghee
About 1/4 cup water

Method:

1. Toast the moong dal in a pan, shaking it frequently so that the dal doesnt burn, until the dal changes to a darker colour.


2. Pressure cook the dal, rice and milk for at least 5 whistles, preferably turning down the heat after 3 whistles and letting it simmer for 10 minutes before turning up the heat again.

3. Let the pressure reduce on its own before opening the cooker. Mash the rice and dal a bit - it's ok if there's some milk left in the container.


4. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a pan and fry the raisins and almond flakes until toasted light brown. Remove from the heat and pour onto the milk-dal mixture.

5. Now place the jaggery and water in a pan and let the jaggery dissolve.
Once it is dissolved and the water is bubbling,
pour the milk-dal mixture into it and stir well.

If the chakkara pongal is runny, let it simmer for 5-10 minutes or till the pongal thickens. (It will thicken a bit more on cooling.)

Serve warm.

RECIPE: BROWN RICE CHAKKARA PONGAL

Ingredients:

1 tbsp moong dal
3 tbsp brown basmati rice
1/4 cup jaggery
Seeds from 3 cardamom pods
1-1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp raisins
1 htsp ghee
About 1/4 cup water

Method:

1. Toast the moong dal in a pan, shaking it frequently so that the dal doesnt burn, until the dal changes to a darker colour.
2. Pressure cook the dal, rice and milk for at least 5 whistles, preferably turning down the heat after 3 whistles and letting it simmer for 10 minutes before turning up the heat again.
3. Let the pressure reduce on its own before opening the cooker. Mash the rice and dal a bit - it's ok if there's some milk left in the container.
4. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a pan and fry the raisins and almond flakes until toasted light brown. Remove from the heat and pour onto the milk-dal mixture.
5. Now place the jaggery and water in a pan and let the jaggery dissolve. Once it is dissolved and the water is bubbling, pour the milk-dal mixture into it and stir well. If the chakkara pongal is runny, let it simmer for 5-10 minutes or till the pongal thickens. (It will thicken a bit more on cooling.) Serve warm.