Akkaravadisal (Akkara Adisal), Sweet Milk Pongal

          Akkaravadisal, I have come across this name so many times, but never got to taste it and when going through the recipe for it, I found it to be similar to Sakkarai Pongal, but with a slight variation. It's a Tamil Iyengar recipe and it's made as a 'naivedyam' especially on Koodaravalli which is an auspicious day observed on the 27th day of the Tamil month Margazhi . This year it happens to fall on today and also, Pongal being just around the corner, I thought of making and posting it today. Taste wise, it is more like Sakkarai Pongal, but with a milky flavor, since we cook the rice in lots of milk and ghee. Since it's a rich dish with lots of milk and ghee, have a small serving and enjoy..

Need To Have

• Raw Arisi/Pachai Arisi - 1/2 cup
• Moong Dal - 2 tablespoons
• Milk - 500 ml (2 and 1/4 cups)
• Grated Jaggery - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 3 tablespoons
• Cashews - 5, broken into pieces
• Golden Raisins - 5
• Ghee - 3 tablespoons
• Saffron - a big pinch
• Green Cardamom - 3, take the inner pods, powder and keep

Adapted from the video here

Method

          Wash and drain the rice and dal and keep. Heat a tablespoon of ghee, add the cashews and raisins and roast till golden, remove and keep. Add the drained rice and dal to the ghee and roast for 2 to 3 minutes.

          Now add 1 + 1/2 cup of the milk and 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil, soak the saffron in the remaining hot milk. Now change it to another bowl and pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles, the rice should be cooked well. Remove it from the cooker, mash the rice and keep.

          Heat another tablespoon of ghee, add the mashed rice, mix and add the milk and cook for a minute. Now add the jaggery and sugar and cook till the jaggery dissolves well, for about another 3 minutes.

          Add another tablespoon of ghee and the cardamom powder, mix for a minute, add the cashews and raisins, remove and serve it warm.

Note
Some recipes use only rice, so you can leave out the dal if you want.
Remove it from heat, while it's still has a porridge consistency, it thickens as it cools, always serve it warm, if needed you can add another 1/4 cup of milk.
You can add another tablespoon of ghee for a richer taste.