KALKANDU PONGAL / SWEET PONGAL RECIPE

Here is a easy and tasty sweet pongal ( Kichdi ) recipe for you all to try for this Pongal / Makarasankrathi / Lohri festival. A good alternative for sakkarai pongal ( made with rice and jaggery ) 

Ingredients :

Raw rice - 1 Cup
Rock candy / Sugar Candy/ Kalkandu  -  1 Cup
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Ghee - 5 Table Spoon
Cardamom ( Elachi ) Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Cashews - 10 No.s
Raisins - 10 No.s
Fresh Cream ( Optional ) - 2 Table Spoon
Saffron strands - Few.

Method :

Grind the rock candy to a smooth powder.  Fry Cashews and raisins with little ghee . Wash rice well and pressure cook with 4 cups for 3 to 4 whistles. When the pressure is completely released, open the cooker lid and mash well. Now add milk, saffron and mix well. Again keep it in medium low flame and add the powdered rock candy to it. 
Keep stirring it with half of the ghee, when it thickens add fresh cream, elachi, remaining ghee, fried cashews, raisins mix well. Serve the yummy pongal hot or cold. Tastes heavenly. Try it out now :-)))

Notes :

You can replace rock candy with sugar too. Just increase the quantity to 1&1/4 cup.
Fresh cream is optional you can very well skip it.
You can add chopped almonds too.