In a pan, heat 2 tsps of ghee and let it melt. When it is hot, add the cashews and roast it till its golden brown. Then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Roast and cook the moong dal-
In the same pan, add the moong dal and roast it for just two to three minutes over medium-low heat. Don't need to let it turn red. Just roast it till you get the aroma. If you like roasted moong dal like me, roast it for 4 to 5 minutes like how I did for my sakkarai pongal. But that's optional.
Soak the roasted moong dal in 1.5 cups of water for 20 minutes. This step is optional. If you are going to pressure cook the moong dal, skip this soaking part. Check the recipe notes for pressure cooking the dal.
In a saucepan, add the soaked moong dal along with the water and cook until it becomes soft and mushy. Add ½ more cup of water if needed while cooking. Don't let the dal go dry. Make sure the moong dal integrates well with the water.
Add jaggery and milk and prepare the kheer-
When the dal is soft and mushy, add ½ more cup of water and add the jaggery. Crush the cloves and cardamom and add it.
Let the jaggery melt and when it completely dissolves, reduce the heat to low and add the milk. Let the kheer simmer for two to three minutes over low heat.
Then turn off the heat. Add the roasted cashews and serve warm. he color of the kheer depends upon the jaggery color. I used dark jaggery hence the color.
Notes
Adjust the jaggery according to your preference.
While roasting cashews, you can also add 2 tbsps of coconut and roast it. You can add raisins too.
Instead of cardamom and cloves, you can add cardamom powder.
I like this kheer in thin consistency, so I add entire 2.5 cups of water. But you can adjust the measurements accordingly.
Pressure Cooking the moong dal-
You can pressure cook the roasted moong dal for three whistles by adding 1.5 cups of water. You can also cook in Instant Pot for 5 minutes at high pressure and release the pressure naturally.
After pressure cooking, mash the dal nicely. In a saucepan, bring ½ cup of water to boil and add the jaggery and let it dissolve. Then add the cooked moong dal, crushed cardamom, and cloves. Let it simmer and then add the milk and simmer again for two minutes.