Authentic Tamil Pongal Recipe

Here’s a traditional Tamil Pongal recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice – 1 cup
2. Split yellow moong dal – 1/4 cup
3. Water – 4 cups
4. Milk – 1 cup
5. Jaggery – 3/4 cup (adjust based on sweetness preference)
6. Ghee (clarified butter) – 2 to 3 tablespoons
7. Cashews – 10 to 12
8. Raisins – 1 tablespoon
9. Cardamom pods – 4 to 5 (crushed)
10. Edible camphor (optional) – a tiny pinch
11. Grated coconut – 2 tablespoons (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash the rice and moong dal together. In a large pot, combine the rice, moong dal, water, and milk. Cook them together until the rice and dal are well-cooked and mushy.

2. In a separate pan, melt the jaggery with a little water to make a syrup. Strain to remove impurities.

3. Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal mixture. Stir well and let it simmer on low heat until everything blends together. Adjust the sweetness according to your taste.

4. In another small pan, heat ghee. Add cashews and raisins and fry until they turn golden brown. Set aside.

5. Add the crushed cardamom pods to the Pongal mixture for flavor. Optionally, you can also add a tiny pinch of edible camphor for a distinct aroma.

6. Finally, add the fried cashews and raisins along with the ghee to the Pongal. Mix well.

7. If desired, garnish with grated coconut before serving.