Hope everyone had a wonderful Diwali festival week. During the Diwali pooja this year I made chana khichdi as offering for the Gods. Chana khichdi is another sweet dish prepared at Konkani homes. I have heard of broken wheat and dal khichdi, but in my house we make it with rice. Moong or moong dal khichdi is also prepared in a similar manner and is a very healthy dessert. We also add sliced banana slices as topping on this khichidi.
Ingredients
1 cup chana dal
2 cups basmati rice
2 teaspoon cardamom powder or elaichi powder
2 cups grated coconut
2 cups powdered jaggery (or use 50% jaggery 50% sugar)
cashew nuts and raisins for garnishing
3 tablespoon ghee for garnishing
Method
Roast the chana dal till light brown and keep aside. Wash the basmati rice well. Cook both the chana dal and basmati rice with 2 1/2 cups water till rice is half done. Keep aside till it cools down completely. Mix jaggery or jaggery+sugar, which ever combination is used, grated coconut in a heavy bottomed pan. Cook it on very low flame till till the jaggery melts and mixes with the coconut. Mix in cardamom powder. Mix the cooked rice and dal into the coconut mixture and heat on low flame for 5-10 minutes till sweetness of the jaggery is absorbed by the rice. Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins. Top the khichdi with the dry fruits. Sliced banana slices can be placed on top as topping. Serve hot.
