(This article is sponsored by Milan Restaurant)

Pongal Rice (Chakkara Pongali)

Rice 1 1/2 cups
Condensed milk 1/2 cups
Jaggery/gud - 5 tbs
Cardamom powder 1 pinch
2 tbsp ghee
Cashew nuts, chopped
Raisins
3 cups water

Method of Preparation :
Heat the ghee in a pan, fry cashews and raisins till golden brown. Keep aside. In a separate pan, wash rice well and cook in water till soft. When the rice is done and the water is almost evaporated, add the jaggery and condensed milk and reduce the flame. When almost dry, add, cardamom powder, raisins and nuts and mix well. Serve hot.

Til- Gur Barfi

Ingredients

1 cup grated Jaggery
1 cup Sesame seeds
1 tbsp ghee

Method

First, roast the sesame seeds and keep aside. Then heat the ghee in a deep pan. Now add to it the grated jaggery and keep stirring till the colour changes to darker brown and a fine paste is formed.Add the roasted sesame seeds to it and stir well for 3 minutes.Next put it on a flat surface vessel or platform and roll with the help of rolling pin. Then cut it into square pieces.

AVAL PAYASAM

Ingredients:

Milk- 3 cups
Aval or Poha (Pressed rice flakes)-1/4cup
Sugar-1 cup
Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp
Handful of roasted cashew nuts
Handful of raisins
Method of Preparation:

Boil milk in a pan. Add the aval into the boiling milk. Stir constantly until the quantity reduces to half. Add sugar and the powdered cardamom into the consistency and stir well. Add the cashew nuts and the raisins. Serve hot.

Tilgul

Ingredients

1/2 kg white sesame seeds,
1/4 kg jaggery
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut,
1/4 cup peanuts
cardamoms or rose essence.
Method
Roast sesame seeds over medium heat. When they turn slight golden, remove. Roast shredded coconut till light brown. Roast peanuts. Remove the skins of peanuts and crush them into small pieces. In a clean heavy-bottomed pan, heat jaggery over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon ghee into it. Pour sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts and cardamom powder immediately and mix well. This mixture is little sticky and thick. Rub some ghee to the palm of your hands. When the mixture is still hot, take some in your palm. Roll into small balls. If the mixture gets cold, heat again to make the rolling easier. Make all the ladoos and let them cool.

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