Kobbari Paramannam (Coconut Rice Pudding -- Vegan recipe)

Happy Dasara to All. 
Here's a simple and slightly different Parvannam/ paramannam to offer to god during this festival season. Traditionally paravannam is made using dairy milk, but this is made with coconut milk. To enhance the coconut flavor, grated coconut is also added.

I saw this dish being made on a Telugu cooking show and wanted to try it during the Navratri season. It uses jaggery instead of sugar making this a refined food free dish that is perfect for this festival season.

Skip the ghee used to fry the cashews & raisins and you have a completely vegan dish. It is creamy with subtle sweetness from jaggery.  

Ingredients:

Rice - ½cup
Coconut milk - ½cup
Jaggery - ¼cup (adjust as per your taste preference)
Ground Cardamom - a pinch
Cashews - 2tsp
Raisins - 2tsp

Method:

• Heat 2tsp ghee or oil (for vegan version) and cook till cashews and raisins until golden.
• In a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine rice and 1cup of water, bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook till all the water is absorbed and rice is almost cooked.
• Add coconut milk and cook till rice is completely cooked through.
• Stir in grated jaggery, ground cardamom and cook till jaggery is completely melted.
• Finally add the ghee roasted cashews and raisins and mix well. Serve warm!!

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: October -- Week 1'.