Kalkandu Pongal / Rice

                        Kalkandu Sadham is also another name for this sweet Pongal.This is a very tasty, sweet delicacy,made of Raw rice, Kalkandu ( sugar candy ), Milk and Ghee.This goes very well in the dinner menu and can also be offered as Neivedhium to God on festival days.My mother in law used to prepare this sweet, even before three decades.So the credit of this recipe goes to her.

Kalkandu Pongal

Ingredients :

Raw Rice   1 cup
Milk   3 cups
Sugar Candy   2 cups.
Ghee   3/4 to 1 cup
Cardamom Powder,
Pachai Karpooram     a pinch
Cashew, Cloves

Method :

1. Pressure cook the rice with milk in a pressure cooker, that the rice is well cooked.
    Instead of 3 cups of milk,we can add 1 1/2 or 2 cups of milk and the rest can be
    substituted with water.

2. Mash the cooked rice well and add the Kalkandu. We can also add1 cup of sugar and 1
    cup of Kalkandu.Now many people add fully sugar and no Kalkandu.In my opinion,
    adding only sugar also gives the same taste as  Ghee and milk are real taste
    makers.

3. With constant stirrings, let the mixture simmer on low fire for 10 mins.The vessel must
    be, in the minimum a 3 lit. cooker or a thick bottomed Kadai.The Pongal may get burnt
    if the base is not heavy.Add ghee.Mix powdered Cardamom, Pacahai Karpooram, 
    and cloves according to your taste.

4. Add Cashew, Badam, Raisins roasted in Ghee.The rich and delicious Kalkandu Sadham
    is ready