Ukkali | Ukkarai

Ukkarai or ukkali is a traditional sweet done with lentils. Some of them have different versions. I have done with chana dal, some do with moong dal, and a combination of rice and dal. If rice is soaked and added the ukkali will not be that soft. A spicy version with toordal and rice is here.

Ingredients:

• Chana dal - 1 cup
• Jaggery or brown sugar - 1 cup
• Ghee - 1/4 cup
• Cashews - 10
• Cardamon powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and soak dal for 4 hours. Strain the water. Transfer to the mixer and grind to a fine paste, if need add one or two tbsp of water.

Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan and fry cashews and keep aside. In the same pan add one more tbsp of ghee and add the ground paste of dal.

Fry the dal for 5 minutes in a low medium flame till it becomes crumbly. If it is too dry add ghee in between. After the dal is cooked add the powdered jaggery and combine well.

It will become watery, don't panic. After few minutes, it will combine together to dal. At that stage, add cardamon powder, left over ghee and fry for few minutes. Add the fried cashews and switch it off.

Soft ukkali is ready to serve.