Kalkandu Bath:(Chettinad Style)

Karkandu/Kalkandu Saadham/ Lump Sugar-Rice/ Misri Ki Chaawal/Sugar-Candy Rice/Chakara Pongal/Chakara Pongali.

Ingredients:

Raw rice 1 cup
Milk 4 cups
Split Moong dal 1/4 cup(optional)
Lump sugar 2 cups
Ghee 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts 10-15(slitted)
Raisins/Dry grapes(from green grapes)-1 fistful
Cardamon seeds powder 1/2 spoon
Saffron strands 1/2 pinch
Dry Camphor (Pachai Karpooram) 1 pinch
Salt 1 pinch

Method:

Using few spoons of milk, try to grind the saffron strands, with back of your spoon.

Add this saffron to milk. In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat milk with cardamon powder. Let it reduce into half.

In a pressure cooker, heat ghee. Fry rice until it coats well with ghee. Then add milk. Pressure cook them till 3-5 whistle sounds.(if you intend to add moong dal add it along with rice, maybe use milk little extra)

Then after pressure is gone, Add sugar lumps + pinch of salt + pinch of camphor. Heat them over simmer heat for some time or until sugar melts. Stir well.

In a separate skillet, heat ghee. Fry cashewnuts and raisins and add them too to the pongal prepared above.

Smear the bowl with ghee, and place the pongal/kalkandu bath in it. And invert the bowl over clean Banana leaf. Serve warm as evenning dish.

I guess, kids will love this recipe.