Chana Dal Halwa/ Bengal Gram Halwa ( Hayagreeva)

Hayagreeva is a very popular sweet done in Karnataka ,specially at all Madhva temples.This is a traditional sweet done for important occasions and on festivals too.This is made out of chana dal or bengal grams cooked in milk and jaggery with dry fruits.
There is a mythology associated with this sweet .Everyday Sri Vadiraja Theertharu of Sode would offer this sweet to Lord Hayavadana (Lord vishnu in a human body with a horse face) .Lord would come in as a bright white horse and eat the offering by Sri Vadiraja Theertharu.Sri Vadiraja Theertharu would place this in a large plate on his head for the Lord to come and eat it.
Hence this a very popular sweet among Madhva people and delicious too.A quick and easy recipe.I have done this for this year's Dushera.

Ingredients,
Bengal gram/Chana dal- 1 cup
Milk- 1/2 cup
Ghee- 2 tbsps
Green Cardamom- 4-5 (only seeds to be powdered)
Cashew- 1 1/2 tbsps (broken into pieces)
Raisins- 1 tbsp
Dry coconut- 2 tbsps.
Jaggery- 1 cup ( smashed into small pieces)

1. Cook chana dal in pressure cooker for 3 whistles with enough water.
2. In a pan take ghee and add cashew nuts and raisins.Sauté till the raisins puff up.
3. Add cooked Chana dal and milk.Mix well
4. Add slightly ground jaggery to it.
5. Add grated dry coconut and cardamom powder.
6. Bring it to boil and keep stirring or else the halwa might stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. Keep stirring until you get thick consistency.

Ina pan take ghee and add cashew nuts and 

raisins.

Saute till the raisins puff up.

Add cooked chana dal.

Add milk and keep stirring.

Add ground jaggery.

Add cardamom powder and grated dry coconut.

Keep stirring until you get thick consistency.

Garnish with grated dry coconut.

Chana dal halwa