Pongal

Pongal

Pongal is a delicious south Indian breakfast made with rice, lentils and spices such as cumin, black peppercorns, asafoetida, and curry leaves and not to forget the most important item that is ghee which is used to temper the spices

Ingredient

• -       ½ cup regular rice
• -       ¼ cup moong dal mildly roasted
• -       ½ teaspoon cumin seed (Jeera) slightly crushed
• -       ¾  teaspoon asafoetida
• -       One inch piece of ginger chopped
• -       2 to 2.25 cups of water/ can be adjusted later as per requirement.
• -       Salt to taste

For tempering

• -       One teaspoon cumin seed
• -       One teaspoon black pepper mildly crushed.
• -       One spring curry leave
• -       Ten to twelve cashew whole/halved
• -       Three tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

Method

• -Take a heavy bottomed pan and in it pour the ¼ cup of moong dal. Dry roast the moong dal on a medium flame till the dal emits a sweet aroma.  Transfer the dal into the bowl for rinsing.  Add the rice to the bowl along with the dal and rinse well.
• -Add the rice and dal mixture to a pressure cooker.  Add the water as required followed by cumin seed, asafoetida, chopped ginger and salt to taste.
• - Pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 4 to 5 whistle. Let the cooker cool down completely. 
• -Check the consistency of the pongal.  If you feel it is to dry, then add a cup of hot water and adjust the consistency.
• -Heat another pan, add the ghee and heat it
• -Once the ghee is hot enough then add the cumin and let it splutter.  Make sure not to burn the tempering. At any point if you feel the heat is too much please remove from fire immediately.
• -Add the cashew nuts and fry till they are golden brown.
• -Now add the black pepper and curry leaves and give them a quick stir making sure they don’t burn.
• -Now pour the tempering into the pongal and mix well. 
• -Close the lid and rest the pongal for five minutes.
• -Serve the pongal with coconut chutney and sambar.