Set the Instant Pot to 'Saute' mode and adjust the setting to 'More'. When the display reads 'Hot', add 1/4 cup ghee. Once the ghee heats up, add cashews.
When the cashews turn golden brown, add raisins. Once the raisins start to plump up, transfer both cashews and raisins to a plate.
Add the moong dal (it is dry and not rinsed) and roast it in the hot ghee till it turns golden brown while stirring constantly for even browning. This will take 2-3 minutes.
Add rice and salt along with water (use 3 cups of water to make the Pongal mushy or leave it at 2.5 cups if you like it with a bit of texture). Mix well. Close the vent and set it to the sealing position.
Pressure cook under high pressure and set it for 6 minutes.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, quickly release pressure.
Open the lid and add 1 cup of powdered jaggery, and camphor. Mix well to combine. Note: 1) No need to turn the Instant Pot on, the jaggery will melt in the residual heat. 2) If using jaggery cubes, see the note 4 below on how to make a syrup.
Do a taste test and add more jaggery if needed.
Add warm milk along with remaining ghee and mix well to combine. The Pongal will absorb the liquid in no time. If it is too thick, add some more warm water or milk. If it has too much liquid then saute it for a minute or two on low heat to thicken it.
Add the roasted cashews, raisins, and cardamom and mix well.
The amount of water and cook time will vary depending on the rice used. I haven't tried this recipe with raw rice, but if you are using sona masoori rice, increase the cooking time to 10 minutes. Use 3 cups of water for a Pongal with some texture or 4 cups of water to make it mushy.
I did not wash the moong dal before or after roasting. If you would like to, you can rinse it and dry it with a paper towel before roasting. Rinsing it after being roasted is also an option.
Use powdered jaggery to cut down on cooking time. Traditionally, this recipe is made by adding jaggery chunks (~250 grams) to 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan. The mixture is cooked till it comes to a boil and the jaggery is completely dissolved. The syrup is then run through a sieve to filter out any impurities.
The quality of powdered jaggery varies so start with 1 cup, do a taste test and add more as needed.
If using edible camphor, use a mortar/pestle to crush it completely, or else there will be crunchy bits in your dish.
Use an Instant Pot to cut short the cooking time. You can use a saucepan or a traditional stovetop pressure cooker like Hawkins as well.
Fair warning: Reducing the amount of ghee in this recipe will impact the taste of the dish. Having said that, if you are calorie conscious, feel free to use only 2 tablespoons of ghee, in the beginning, to saute the cashews and raisins and skip adding the ghee at the end.
Variations / Substitutions
To make vegan sweet Pongal, replace milk with coconut milk and ghee with coconut oil.
You can replace jaggery with white sugar or brown sugar. Note: Replacing jaggery with either of these will impact the taste and color.
Some households don't use moong dal in this recipe - you can skip it as well.
How to store
Stores well in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days but it will soak up all the liquid. To bring back the original consistency, reheat in a microwave or stovetop with a few tablespoons of milk or water to soften it.