Akkaravadisal

Akkaravadisal!

Akkaravadisal is a traditional sweet dish from Tamil Nadu. It is similar to sweet Pongal, but it is creamier, has more milk and has a different texture. It is made on the auspicious day of Pongal and even on Gokula Ashtami and Krishna Janmashtami. Though many make it with sugar, I have used jaggery. I have also used edible camphor which gives it a nice, divine smell. This dish also has loads of ghee, which makes it even more tempting. The fried cashews and saffron are also taste enhancers. Try it this Sankranti and tell me how it was!

Ingredients:

Raw rice- ½ cup

Moong dal- 3 tblsp

Full cream milk- 4 cups

Water- 1 cup

Grated jaggery- ½ cup to ¾ cup

Ghee- ¼ cup+ 1 tblsp

Cashews- 6 to 7

Edible camphor- a pinch (optional)

Saffron strands- 4 to 5

Cardamom powder- ¼ tsp

Method:

1.   Wash and rinse raw rice and moong dal together. Drain the water completely and keep ready. Soak saffron strands in a tablespoon of warm milk and keep it aside.

2.   Add grated jaggery and ½ cup water to a vessel and let it boil until the jaggery dissolves completely. No need to check for any string consistency. Once jaggery dissolves completely and the syrup becomes slightly thick, switch off flame and keep it aside.

3.   In a heavy bottom pan, add a tablespoon of ghee and roast the cashews. Once it turns golden brown, remove and keep it aside. In the same ghee, add the raw rice and moon dal and fry for a minute.

4.   Now add 3 cups of full cream milk and ½ cup of water to the rice and dal. Cook this on medium flame, stirring frequently, until the rice and dal becomes mushy. Switch off flame and mash the rice and dal with a hand masher.

5.   Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal. Give it a mix. Place it on low flame again.

6.   Add the remaining 1 cup milk and let it boil on low medium flame for around 5 minutes.

7.   Now add ¼ cup ghee, ¼ tsp of cardamom powder and a pinch of edible camphor. Mix everything well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low medium flame.

8.   Add the saffron soaked milk to this and give it a mix. Switch off flame and garnish with roasted cashews. Serve it hot.

Notes:

·      Akkaravadisal thickens as it cools. So, make sure you switch off flame when it is in running consistency.

·      Incase it becomes very thick, you can always add a little milk and re-heat it a little, just before serving.

·      Adding edible camphor gives a divine taste to this dish. However, it is optional.

·      ½ cup of jaggery is perfect for this dish. If you prefer more sweetness (like me) , you can add around ¾ cup.

Step by step pictures

wash and rinse raw rice and dal.

drain water completely and keep aside.

add jaggery and water in a vessel and 

boil it till the jaggery completely dissolves

soak few strands of saffron in warm milk 

 in a heavy bottom pan add a tablespoon of

ghee. fry cashews till golden brown and remove.

in the same ghee, add the rice and dal.

fry for a minute.

 add 3 cups of milk and 1/2 cup of water 

to this and cook on medium flame until

it becomes mushy. 

 switch off flame and mash with a hand masher

 add the jaggery syrup to this.

place it on flame again and mix well

 add the remaining 1 cup of milk to this

and cook on low flame for 5 minutes

 add 1/4 cup ghee, cardamom powder and

a pinch of edible camphor. mix everything well

cook for another 3 to 4 minutes

finally add the saffron soaked milk and 

give it a mix. switch off flame.

garnish with roasted cashews and serve hot.