Kalkandu Pongal / Sugar Candy Rice Pudding

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 5 to 6

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Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Moong dal - 2 TBSP (optional)
Kalkandu / Small Sugar candy - 1 1/4 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 TBSP
Broken Cashew nuts - 1 TBSP
Raisins - 1 TBSP
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal (if using) thoroughly.
2. Add water and milk and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
3. Once the pressure goes down, and add kalkandu (sugar candy).
4. On a low to medium heat, cook till the kalkandu melts, stirring constantly.
5. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small skillet.  Add the raisins and cashews.  Fry until golden brown.
6. Add it to the rice mixture along with the remaining ghee and cardamom powder.  Mix well.  
7. Serve warm.

Here are some of my other Pongal recipes:

Quinoa Sarkarai Pongal

Sweet Potato Poli

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 5, large

Carrot - 1, shredded

Onion - 1, medium, chopped

Garlic - 1 clove

Black pepper - 1 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp (optional)

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Bay leaves - 2

1% milk - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Olive oil - 1 TBSP

Freshly crushed black pepper - for garnishing

Method:

1. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for five minutes.
2. Once cooked, place them in a bowl with some ice and water.  Remove the skin and roughly chop.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan.  Add bay leaves, fennel seeds and black peppers.  Fry for few seconds and add the onion, ginger and garlic.
4. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.  Add the shredded carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt.  Mix well and cook until soft.
6. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves.
7. Transfer the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Strain the mixture.
8. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water and boil the soup for 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup of milk and mix well.
10. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper before serving.
11. Serve hot.

Beetroot Halva

Ingredients:
Shredded Beetroot - 3 cups
Almond milk - 2 cups
Raw (turbinado) or granulated sugar - 1 cup
Currants or Black raisins - 1/2 cup
Roasted sliced almonds - 2 TBSP
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Ghee / clarified butter - 2 TBSP

 Notes:  Adding currants or raisins give natural sweetness to the dish. You can adjust the sugar level                            according to your taste.
             You can add any nuts of your choice.
      
Method:

1. Heat 1 TBSP ghee in a wide bottom skillet.  Add the shredded beetroot and saute for 3 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups of almond milk and cook the beetroot for 10 minutes on low flame.  Stir every now and then for even cooking.
3. Add the currants or raisins and cook until all the milk evaporates.  Keep stirring.
4. Now add the sugar and mix well.  Cook on medium flame.  Stir constantly until the halva becomes thick.  
5. Add 1 tbsp ghee and roasted almonds.  Mix well.
6. Serve warm.