Akkaravadisal

"Inno Thiru Aadi Pooram, yemakkaka anno ingu Andaal avadharithaal. 
Kunnaadha vaazhwaana vaikuntha vaan bogam thannai igazhnthu Azhwaar thirumagalaaraai"


Today being Thiru Aadi Pooram (Andaal's birthday), this is the special prasadam made for this day. This is an Iyengar speciality and the recipe is from my mom.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Raw Rice 
• 1/4 cup Moong Dal
• 1 1/2 cups Jaggery (Adjust to taste)
• 6 cups Milk
• A handful of Cashews (broken to bits)
• A handful of Almonds (broken to bits)
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• A pinch of Cardamom powder
• A pinch of Saffron strands (optional)

Method

1. In a pan, heat 1 tsp ghee and fry the cashews and almonds till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.
2. Fry the moong dal and rice in the same pan till they turn a light golden brown.
3. In a cooker vessel, add the rice dal mixture and 5 cups of milk and place it in a cooker and cook it for 5-6 whistles.
4. Melt the jaggery in a small vessel and filter the jaggery. Add this jaggery to a thick bottomed vessel along with the cooked rice dal mixture, remaining ghee, remaining milk, cardamom powder and saffron.
5. Simmer and cook for a few minutes till the mixture reaches the desired (semi solid) consistency.
6. Garnish the Akkaravadisal with the fried cashews and almonds.