Chettinad Ukkarai Recipe | Ukkara recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup moong dal 
• 1/8 cup Rava 
• 1/8 cup rice flour 
• 1/8 cup coconut grated 
• 1/8 tsp cardamom powder a very tiny pinch of salt 
• 1.5 tbsp cashews broken 
• 1 tsp oil 
• 4 tbsp ghee around 2 cups + 1/2 cup water 

For jaggery syrup:

• 1/2 cup powdered jaggery 
• 1/4 cup water 

Instructions

1. To a saucepan – add jaggery and water
2. In a tadka pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and fry cashews until golden brown, then leave aside. Dry roast moong dal until golden, then add 2 cups water.
3. Cook till soft, dal should look whole but easily mashable. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. If there is any water, strain and set away.
4. 2 tbsp ghee – add Rava and fry for a minute, then add rice flour and fry for another minute.
5. Cook for a minute after adding the coconut. Then add the cooked dal and combine well. Finally, add 1/2 cup water to allow the flour and rava to cook.
6. Cook until the mixture is thick, then drain and add the jaggery syrup.
7. Cook till it rolls well. Add cardamom powder, salt, and fried cashews and mix well.

Notes: 

• The consistency of Chettinad ukarai is more like halwa, but if you wish, you can cook it for a few minutes longer to make it more like puttu.
• It was salted to bring out the sweetness.
• Only after the rice flour and sooji have completely cooked, add the jaggery syrup.
• Moong dal can also be pressure cooked for 2 whistles.
• If there is extra water after cooking the moong dal, drain it and use it in sambar or soups.
• The oil gives the sweet a velvety feel.
• Reduce a tbsp of ghee if desired, but don’t reduce too much or the texture will be off.