Sweet Pongal

Green gram dhal - 1/3 cup
Rice- 1 cup
Powdered jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 1/2 cup to dissolve the jaggery
Cashewnuts - 1 Tbl. sp.
Raisins - 1 Tbl. sp.
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp.
Pure ghee - 1/4 cup

Dry roast green gram dhal in a pan till light brown in colour, Wash it along with rice and pressure cook in a container with 4'/2 cups of water, for 10 minutes. Heat jaggery with half a cup of water in a thick shallow pan till it dissolves completely.

Strain to remove dirt and once again heat it till you reach one string consistency. Add cooked pongal to that and mix well in a medium flame for few minutes. Remove from fire. Heat ghee separately and fry cashewnuts and raisins. Add it to pongal along with cardamom powder. Serve hot.

Pineapple Pulao

Fresh pineapple 1/2 or
1 small tin pineapple pieces
Basmathi rice 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 Tbl. sps.
Cardamom powder - a pinch
raisins - 10
Saffron - little dissolved in warm milk
or
Saffron essence - few drops Fresh cream - 2 Tbl. sps.

 Cut pineapple into very small pieces. Sprinkle sugar and cook in low flame with very little water. When the pieces become soft remove from fire. If tinned pine apple is used, drain the syrup separately. Cut pine apple rings into small pieces. Reduce sugar as per taste. Dissolve sugar in the syrup itself and heat till it becomes thick syrup, (honey like)

Wash rice. Do not soak. Heat half a tsp. of ghee and fry for one or two minutes. Cook in 2 to 2 1/2 cups of boiling water in reduced flame. Cover and cook till water evaporates, (keep under dhum if necessary). Add a pinch of salt and stir in sugar syrup and pine apple pieces, Soak almonds in warm water, peel skin and grind into paste with cashewnuts.

Add ground mixture, saffron and fresh cream to the pulav. Mix half of the ghee. When moisture is absorbed completely, remove from fire. Add yellow color if necessary. Sprinkle cardamom powder, pour rest of the melted ghee and mix well.

Sweet Coconut Pulao

Grated fresh coconut 1/4 cup
Basmathi rice 1 cup
ghee 1 cup
Broken cashewnuts 1/1/4 Tbsp.
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
cardamom powder - small pinch

Wash and soak rice for 5 to 10 minutes. Cook with two cups of coconut extract in reduced flame in a heavy vessel. Close with a lid. When rice is cooked and there is no moisture add finely grated coconut and powdered sugar. (Fry coconut in ghee for a minute and then add).

Add half of the ghee. Mix gently. When moisture is absorbed remove from fire. Heat rest of the ghee, fry cashewnuts and raisins. Add to rice with cardamom powder. Mix well and serve.

Jack Fruit Pulao 

Jack fruit pieces square pieces cut - 1 cup
basmathi rice- 1 cup
powdered sugar 1 cup
honey 1 Tbl sp
fresh cream 1 1/2 tbl sp
cardamom powder - small pinch
raisins - 1 Tbl sp
vanilla essence 2 drops
ghee 3 tbl sps

 Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes. Strain. Boil two cups of water in a heavy vessel and cook rice in that separately in a low flame. Keep closed and do not disturb in between. After 7 to 10 minutes, when rice is cooked and moisture is evaporated add powdered sugar, jack fruit pieces, colour and half of the ghee. Mix gently and keep in reduced flame.

After a few minutes add honey, fresh cream and cardamom powder. Remove from fire. Heat rest of the ghee, fry cashewnuts, and raisins. Pour over rice. Serve hot.

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