Ven Pongal

Ven Pongal

An uncommon recipe in our breakfast but chakara pongal is very popular and is named as pongala. Recently had an outing with family to Nagercoil and my better half fond of tamil foods tempted me to have pongal… with a dismally feeling I nodded my head, the waiter confirmed me as a Malayalee visiting tamil hotel gave a weird smirk.

Pongal came towards me and having a hope that gireesh would finish it I started with my first scoop. It dissolved into my mouth with a tremendous taste. My view about pongal cemented in me for long period changed after this treat and I espoused it.

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1 cup

Moong dal – ¼ cup

Water – 3 cup

Salt – as required

To temper:

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Pepper – 1 tbsp

Jeera – 1 tsp

Cashew – few (optional)

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method:

Roast - Moong Dal / cherupayar parippu/ pasi paruppu and wash it with rice. Heat oil in a cooker – add water, bring to boil. Add the cleaned rice, dal, salt and cook for 3 whistles in medium flame. Keep cooker aside and let it cooled down. Open it and mash using a hard spoon.

Heat ghee in a kadai/pan – fry cashews and keep aside, add whole black pepper, jeera, curry leaves in the order. Mix well in the pongal and heat it for few minutes.

Serve hot with chutney/sambar of your choice.  

Note:

1. Maintain adequate amount of water or else it goes watery, if that happens then keep in stove for few minutes – water will get absorbed.
2. My family has a dislike on the optional item but you can try. It gives a nice aroma to pongal.
3. Better not use dalda it tastes good but not healthy, I use homemade ghee.