Godhumai/ Wheat Rava Sakkarai Pongal

Pongal and Makar Sankranti are festivals celebrated at the end of the harvest seasons in tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh respectively. Sakkarai pongal/ pongali is made on this auspicious day. The original version has rice , moong dal and jaggery. Just to give it a healthy twist I have replaced rice with godhumai / wheat rava and used minimal ghee. A guilt free pongal in short :) Do try it its delicious....

Ingredients:
Godhumai/ Wheat Rava - 3/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Jaggery Syrup - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - A pinch

For garnish:
Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Cashew Nuts - 6 nos
(4 chopped and 2 whole)
Raisins - 4 nos

Method:

• Take a deep bottomed pan, add 1 tbsp of ghee.
• Fry rava and moong dal till a nice aroma emanates. Do not brown them.
• Pressure cook both together with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt till done.
• Mine got done in 4 whistles.
• Take a pan, add crushed jaggery and 1/4 cup of water. 
• Keep stirring till all the jaggery dissolves. Sieve this syrup and set aside.
• Meanwhile take 1/2 tsp of ghee fry the cashewnuts and raisins till golden brown.
• Keep aside the 2 whole cashews and 2 raisins for garnish.
• Take a pan,add two tablespoons of ghee.
• Add the pressure cooked rava and dal mixture to the ghee.
• Add the jaggery syrup and mix well till the mixture thickens.
• Now add cardamom powder,chopped cashews,raisins and mix well.
• Transfer this mixture into another bowl, garnish with whole cashews and the remaining raisins.
• Serve hot/ cold.

Note:

• You can alter the jaggery levels as per your taste. We like it less sweet than normal.
• You can even reduce the ghee measures.
• I have used white jaggery that's why it is giving the light brown colour. 

• This food art is made by my daughter with minimal help from me :)