Hallo Reader,

Thank you for your precious time to glance at these pages...
I would like to give you a short introduction about this blog. This Blog is dedicated to my Mother, Kalpavalli and my Grandmom, Vedavalli who were great cooks. Unfortunately i lost them!!
My Grandmother was a fabulous cook, who used to be energetic at the age of 68. She wore a lovely smile Always on her face, anytime in the day. Relatives and neighbours used to come home just to visit her, with lots of affection, knowing that her hospitality to the guests were touchy...

We do celebrate Gokulashtami or Krishna Janmashtami in a big way. My Grandma used to prepare atleast 25 varieties of food for the festival alone, without anyone's help. She used to start her preparations 2 weeks before the festival. I was too young at that time and failed to collect the Recipes from her. Later, i started recalling some of her recipes and also started trying my own.

Pouring out from the heart, my mother was a great lady, well-known for her patience and tolerance. People loved her for her good qualities and nevertheless she was an extremely caring mother.

In their memory, i would like to recap the recipes which i have cooked, try the new recipes and also share it with you.

The recipes here are found on my experience. The Photos are taken as and when the dishes were prepared at home.

This is my First Recipe to the Blog. I hope you enjoy the Journey.

                                                        Sakkar Pongal

SakkarPongal is a South Indian Sweet, made especially during Pongal festival which follows in the month of January, every year. Different people prepare this dish in various ways. The below Recipe is Iyengar method of preparing.
This dish is mainly made of Rice and the Moong Dal.

Well, Are you feeling like eating yummy Sakkarpongal which is just similar to the one available in any good old temples?!! Then get the Recipe below and rush to the Kitchen.....

 Required Ingredients:

1 Cup Rice
1/4 Cup or little more Moong dal/Hesara Bele
1& 3/4th cup Jaggery
1/2 spoon Elachi/Cardamom powder
1/2 cup Fresh Ghee
1/2 cup grated dry coconut(ona kobbari)
8 to 10 Raisins
8 to 10 Cashew nuts

How to Prepare?

1. Fry the Moong dal in a small wok on medium flame, with 1/2 spoon Ghee, until it turns

    light Brown. Be cautious not to overheat it.

2. Wash the Rice and Pressure cook it with the above fried Dal, with sufficient Water.

    Let the water be more than what we use for cooking White Rice, in daily life.

3. Allow the cooker to cool, aside

4. Now, grate the Jaggery to reasonable pieces and place it in the Wok.

5. Add 1/2 cup water and allow it to melt in a medium flame, until the Jaggery melts fully

6. Once the boiling starts, add the cooked rice and the Dal.

7. Keep stirring. Add the Elachi Powder

8. Add the Ghee in small proportions now and then and keep stirring the contents of the wok.

   Let it cook for 10 minutes.

9. In a separate small wok, heat 4 to 5 spoons of Ghee, add Cashews and Raisins.
10.Grate dry coconut about 1/2 cup and add it to the pongal

11. Mix this to the above big wok

Serve Hot

Hey Listen!! While buying Jaggery, look for a dark colored one.

Also Do not add the Ghee at once, you need to keep stirring the pongal and add Ghee every now and then..