Ukkarai is one of the traditional sweet made in tamil brahmin houses during diwali or any other festival. It is made with channa daal and jaggery. My mother is an expert in making this sweet. I learnt this recipe from my mother. Let us see how to make this sweet.

Preparation time approx. 40 minutes

Soaking time 1 hour.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup channa daal
• 1 heaped up jaggery
• 4 tbsp of fresh grated coconut.
• few cashew nuts to garnish
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder.
• 2 tsp tsp ghee

Method.

Measure the channa daal .

soak in water for 1 hour.

Pressure cook the channa daal . It should not be mushy.

Drain the water completely.

Powder this cooked channa daal in a mixer grinder along with grated fresh coconut.

Keep aside.

 

In a heavy bottom pan or thick non stick  pan add jaggery and half cup water. Let the jaggery melt well.

 

 

Strain the jaggery and discard the impurities.

Again keep the strained jaggery syrup on stove.

After few minutes the syrup will become little thick.

Pour a drop of syrup in plain water. You should be able to make it in to ball. This is the correct consistency. Or thakkali padam.

Keep the stove on low and add the powdered channa daal. and mix well.

At this stage add 1 tsp ghee or clarified butter and mix.

Now add cardamom powder and mix.

Spread this and keep it on low fire. In between mix and spread the mixture. Let it be like that for few more minutes. You will get a sandy consistency of the mixture.

Heat 1 tsp ghee or clarified butter. fry the broken cashew nuts till become brown. Add this to ukkarai.

Switch off the stove.

Let it become cool. Store in a airtight container.