Asoka - A Traditional Sweet Of Tanjore

Asoka sweet is very famous in Tanjore side esp in Thiruvaiyaru..RamIyer hotel and also Andavar Stores are very famous for this sweet..

Ingredients:
Payatham Paruppu/Moong Dal - 1cup

Sugar - 2cups
Cardamom - a pinch
Kesari Powder - a  pinch
Ghee - 1cup
wheat flour - 2 tsp
Ghee - 2tsp to roast the wheat flour
Cashews - 6
Ghee - 2 tsp to roast the Cashews
Raisins - To garnish Asoka

Things to keep ready:
--Pressure cook the moong dal with 2 cups of water for 3 whistles..
--Take a pan,add 2 tsp of ghee and roast the wheat flour till it turns very light brown..
--Turn off the flame and immediately transfer it to a small bowl..

Next Step:
--After u open the pressure cooker..Smash the moong dal well
--In a heavy bottomed pan,Add 5 tsp of ghee and add the well smashed moong dal

--Add 2 cups of sugar to the content and mix well
--Add ghee little by little and keep stirring continously
--Cook well until the ghee starts to leave the sides of the pan and the mixture starts to thicken without sticking to the pan
--Roast the cashews in 3 tsp of ghee and add it to the asoka and sprinkle some cardamom powder..
--Garnish the asoka with ghee roasted cashews,Raisins

Tips:
--If u want u can add milk to the mixture after adding the sugar..
--Adding milk reduces the shelf life of Asoka
--So I didn't add milk..