KARUMBUCHARU-KALKANDU PONGAL, how to make brown rice-millet-sugarcane juice-rock candy pongal

Karumbucharu - kalkandu pongal.......
a new combo, right? i have made it newer by combining brown rice and millet also along.
Sugarcane juice is so rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and other electrolytes, and hence is well suited for dehydration. Has  low  glycemic index and is good for diabetics, Ayurveda says, it relieves constipation, prevents tooth decay, helps fight against fatigue, treats kidney stones and urinary infections, strengthens your liver and hence treats jaundice.
Brown rice ....is again a highly nutritious grain, good for heart and protects against cancer.
Millet....is undoubtedly the vegetarian protein source, contains vitamins and minerals, provides anti oxidants, is a gluten-free food, and is high in fiber.
So, just imagine, how healthy this pongal is going to be, when it has all goody goody things...
Oh, I forgot, coconut milk is also there, which is great to cure mouth ulcers, improves digestion and helps prevent anemia.

Ingredients

Brown rice - 1/8 cup

Millet - 1/8 cup

Split moong dhal - 2 tbsps

Kalkandu - 1/8 cup

Sugar cane juice - 11/2 cups

Coconut milk - 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Mace powder - a pinch

Saffron a few strands

Ghee - 2 tsps

Few broken cashews and raisins

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Neivedhyams/lunch/dinner/breakfast

Prep time: 15 mts; Cooking time: 15 mts

Yields a very small bowl of pongal (which is shown above)

Brown rice, foxtail millet and broken moong taken as per measurement, washed and soaked in hot water for 1/2 hour.

Cut sugarcane pieces (roughly 2 1/2 cups)

First pulse them, then add some water and grind well, strain and take out the juice.

Remove water from the brown rice, add the measured sugar cane juice(if it is less, add some water), add the saffron strands, and pressure cook for 7-8 whistles.

The cooked brown rice-millet

Mash well

Kalkandu taken in the blender jar, and coarsely powdered

and added to the mashed brownrice-millet

Add the coconut milk, cardamom powder and mace powder, mix well, and cook on slow flames for 5 minutes.

Add the cashews and raisins, roasted in 2 tsps ghee.

Here is a healthy pongal, with a twist!!!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

*Jaggery can also be added in place of kalkandu

*Coconut milk is optional. But certainly, it lends an extra flavor to the pongal.

*Brown rice and millet can be replaced by anything of our choice..i.e., white rice or broken wheat.

Categories: Desserts, Festival Delicacies, Healthy Cooking, Indian sweets