Kinnathappam

Ingredients

    Fine rice flour - 1.5 Cup
    Jaggery/Vellam - 1 lb(about 500 gms)
    Coconut milk - 1.5 Cup
    Water - about 8 cups
    Ghee(Clarified Butter) - 1/2 cup
    Chana Dal(Kadala Parippu) - 1/4 cup
    Cardamom seeds - from 3, crushed

Method:

    Heat Jaggery in 1/4 cup of water until it melts and forms a thick liquid. Cook the Chana dal in water until soft(not too soft) and keep it aside. Mix together the rice, 1 cup of coconut milk and the jaggery and the water to a thin batter. Heat this mixture in a large thick bottomed vessel at medium heat. Keep stirring. In about 15 minutes the batter will thicken continue stirring. Add the remaining coconut milk after 45 minutes. keep stirring. Add the Ghee 1 spoon at a time at 5 minute intervals. Add the cooked chana dal. Oil will start separating after about 1.5- 2 hours. Add the cardamom and continue for another 20 minutes. By this time the batter will turn to a thick consistency. Put this into a greased 6 inch  pan and press down to form the shape of the pan. Cut into desired size pieces after cooling down.

Note:

   Preparation time ranges from 2-3 hours and it requires continuous heavy stirring. Make sure that you keep everything ready before starting the cooking. A large vessel, which can hold about 3 times the amount of the prepared batter is required and most importantly a heavy duty stirrer made of wood or steel and good handle is required.