In Akkaravadisal the rice is cooked completely in milk whereas in sakkarai pongal it is optional to use milk to cook the rice.
The second difference is in the ratio of moong dal and rice. In sakkarai pongal, the quantity of the moong dal is more. In Akkaravadisal, it is optional and you can skip it completely.
The third major difference is the amount of ghee. Akkaravadisal is drenched in ghee. You have to use more ghee while making akkaravadisal.
Only if you absolutely have to. The ratio of ghee:rice in akkaravadisal is usually 1:1. But normally, ½:1 usually works well. Certain dishes taste best when you add ghee. Ghee elevates the flavour profile of many Indian dishes.
If you are concerned about the amount of ghee and in case you cannot use it more,then add extra on top while serving just like you do for bholi. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon while cooking and as much as you need when you serve it.
Try to serve this warm and use melted ghee on top. If you use almost solidified ghee on a cold akkaravadisal it will not taste good.
Akkaravadisal | Indian Rice Pudding - Mildly sweet and milky rich and sinfully delicious pudding topped with a good amount of cashews and ghee.
- ½ cup short grained raw rice
- 2 tablespoon moong dal
- 4 cups milk
- 1 to 1.5 cups powdered jaggery 1
- 1.25 to 1.5 cups ghee Refer notes
- 10 to 15 whole cashews, broken and roasted in ghee
Add 1 tablespoon of ghee to a pan and toss moong dal until aromatic and out and turns to a pale pink colour. (2)
Then add the rice and lentils in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of water. The amount of liquid used to cook the rice varies from rice to rice. The rice should actually over cook and be very mushy. Accordingly add the liquid by adjusting the milk and water quantity in the same ratio. (3 & 4)
- In a heavy bottomed vessel over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoon water and powdered jaggery, Once it melts (Do not over heat it, just melt) strain the jaggery mix to discard any impurities and dirt.
- Pour it back in the pan and allow it to boil keeping it in the medium flame for about 5-7 mins. Once the raw smell of the jaggery goes off and it becomes slighly sticky, pour the cooked rice. Keep stirring frequently, so that it does not stick to the bottom.
- As and when the concoction thickens, keep adding the remaining milk and ghee gradually. The raw flavour of the milk and jaggery should be completely gone and you should get a nice creamy texture. (around 30 mins). (5)
- Add the roasted cashews and 3-4 tablespoon of ghee just before serving.
- The richness in the dish comes from milk and ghee. Traditionally, the rice is cooked completely in milk and ghee. But you can reduce the quantity of milk and ghee if you find that to be heavier.
- The amount of jaggery might vary as per one's needs. Usually 1:3 (rice : jaggery) is used. It is slightly on the sweeter side. Reduce the amount according to your sweet preference.
- Roasting the rice and dal helps it to absorb the liquid more evenly and also gives a nice flavour to it.
- Use a deep bottomed vessel to cook this. Since we are adding more amount of milk, it boils and spills out each time the pressure is released in the cooker. The milk may spill in to the cooker as well as spray little on the top of the cooker lid. This is the reason we try to use a deep bottomed pressure cooker. Make sure the amount of liquid is only till the half level of the vessel.
- If you do not have a deep vessel, cook it with minimum amount of milk and then you can use the remaining amount later in step 5.
- Akkaravadisal thickens as it cools. So turn off the stove when it is in a semi solid flowing state. The consistency of this will be thicker than a paal payasam and slightly diluted than Sakarai Pongal.
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