“Naivedyam : Chana Dal- Rava Godi Khichidi (Bengal Gram Dal- Rava Sweet Pongal) topped with fried Cashew Nuts and Dried Grapes" ... this is one of my favorite dishes that I always love to prepare on some festive days … usually I prepare it with addition of sugar but this time I have prepared the same with Jaggery powder and tastes awesome … Let us celebrate Navratri on a sweeter note praying that these auspicious days brings in happiness, health, peace and prosperity into every home …
** As I have already written a lot about these sweet khichidi, which I love to prepare as Naivedyam, I will not be repetitive and share a common link at the bottom of this recipe, wherein you may browse through for more information and find in them both sweet and spicy version of the same. This same khichdi too has been posted a few years back and the recipe remains same with only one change made, ie the addition of jaggery/ goda in place of sugar. It is believed by many nowadays that jaggery is much healthier than sugar, so I thought of giving it a try and it tasted wonderful, though with sugar too it tastes great.
** So for all those out there who have switched over to jaggery all you need to do is replace it with jaggery in appropriate portion depending upon its sweetness and you are sorted. You can try the same with millets too, again as is the trend by replacing rice, rava etc. I have included a few of them and will do so more in near future, you can check it out using search option or the common link shared below. Do try out various dishes from my Blog and relish them with your family and friends. Life is all about good food and friends and there is nothing that gives more happiness or satisfaction than delicious home cooked ones.
** Here is my simple recipe for “Chana Dal- Rava Godi Khichidi (Bengal Gram Dal- Rava Sweet Pongal) topped with fried Cashew Nuts and Dried Grapes" … My Style ….
** Ingredients :
Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram Dal : ½ cup
Rava/ Rulavu/ Bansi Rava : 1.5 cups
Jaggery/ Goda Powder : 2 cups (+/- depending upon individual choice)
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : ½ cup freshly grated (white portion only)
Yellow Color or Kesar (saffron) : a pinch
Cardamom/ Ellaichi/ Yellu Powder : ½ tsp
Cashew Nuts/ Kajjubi/ Kaju : a handful cut pieces
Kishmish/ Dried Grapes/ Raisins : 2 tblsp
Cow’s Milk Ghee/ Toopa/ Toop : 3-4 tbsp
Boiling Water/ Uddaka : 3 cups
Ellaichi Banana : as required for serving (Optional)
** Wash and soak chana dal/ Bengal gram dal for about 15-20 minutes, then put it in colander for all the excess water to be drained off completely as much as possible. You can also spread it on a thick cloth and allow to dry if needed too or rub it with the same too. The purpose here is to clean the dal off pesticides and at the same time have it dry.
** In a pressure cooker pan add in 1 tbsp of ghee and add in drained chana dal and fry for a few minutes (about 2 mins) on medium heat until the color changes in slightly. Now add in about 1 cup of water, mix well and pressure cook on medium heat to 2-3 whistles. Let the pressure in cooker fall on its own and when done remove the lid carefully.
** In a thick bottomed kadai/pan add the remaining 3 tblsp of ghee and add the cashew nuts and fry till color changes slightly, now add in raisins and fry till they are blow up. Do not at any point over fry either the cashew nuts or raisins or they will taste bitter. So be careful or you may fry each of them separately if not used to this method. Remove from kadai straining back the ghee in it and keep it aside to be garnished later.
** In the same kadai add in more ghee if necessary and add the rava and fry well on medium heat stirring well till it gets well roasted and you get a lovely aroma, this will take about 5 minutes. Now add in the kesar or color, mix well, lower the heat and then gradually add in the boiling water carefully as it tends splutters, so be carefully. Also add in the cooked chana dal along with the remaining water in it too and mix all the ingredients well together.
** Raise the heat and bring all to a boiling point adding more water if necessary. Once it starts bubbling on surface, mix well, lower the heat to minimum, cover and let cook till almost done. Now add in the powdered jaggery (you can also grate and add jaggery if they are in large pieces) and mix well. The sweet khichidi tends to thin out as the jaggery melts, so keep mixing to avoid it forming lumps and remember to keep the heat low.
** When it thickens out add fresh coconut gratings, cardamom powder and mix well. Lastly add in a 1-2 tblsp of ghee (optional), mix well, cover and let cook for a few minutes. Remove from fire, garnish with fried and kept aside cashew nuts and raisins. Once again, mix well and keep it covered aside to settle down for about 20-30 minutes. Peel off banana skin, slice them into thin circles horizontally and top the khichidi with it (Optional but done so for Naivedyam).
** “Chana Dal- Rava Godi Khichidi (Bengal Gram Dal- Rava Sweet Pongal) topped with fried Cashew Nuts and Dried Grapes" is done and ready to be offered as Naivedyam to God and there by distributed among family and friends. Add banana slices just before serving, as they are not supposed to be cooked, the same is optional and you may skip it out too. I love adding them whenever it is for Naivedyam as it is considered auspicious.
** Godi/Sweet Khichidi can be served hot/ cold as per individual liking. This dish is traditionally also served with Urad- Maida/ Rice/ Rava dosa and it tastes really awesome. I usually follow that combo of serving for breakfast next morning which gives me break from preparing chutney and in my home we love the combo too. You can find that combo shared a few times elsewhere if you follow the link given at the bottom.
** This is a traditional Konkani Saraswat dish prepared over generations in most of the homes during festive times/ functions. Do try out this sweet variation of simple humble khichidi dish if you are new to this type of dishes and relish with your family and friends. If you like sweet khichidi, you will definitely love this one very much. Children often like sweet dishes and you can easily make them have it with dosa which I am sure will be loved by them.
** Sharing a common link to both sweet and spicy “Khichidi/ Pongal” recipes posted in my Blog below, do go through the link for more information, step by step pictures and various combinations in preparation of Khichidi ….
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