Ven Pongal

There are so many dishes to cook with rice. It was very difficult to choose only three of them. My first one in this series is ven pongal as I made this when my father had come to my place. This is one of his favourite dishes.

This is a very popular and simple dish which can be made in a jiffy. It neither requires many ingredients nor needs much time. It tastes great with coconut chutney. Now for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice- 1/2 cup
• Moong dal (yellow)- 1/4 cup
• Cashew nuts &Raisins- 8 each
• Salt to taste

FOR SEASONING:

• Oil- 1 tablespoon
• Ghee- 1 1/2 tablespoon
• Ginger chopped- 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Whole black pepper- 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves- A few

METHOD:

• Dry roast moong dal and rice separately until it is hot to touch. Do not over fry it.
• Heat oil and ghee add finely chopped ginger, saute for 2-3 seconds, then add pepper, jeera seeds (you can pound pepper and jeera slightly for more flavor), cashew nuts,raisins and curry leaves.
• Add rice and dal with 3 cups of water and salt. Cook it for 3 or 4 whistles.
• Let the steam go off and then open the cooker. Mix the contents nicely.
• Serve hot with white coconut. 
• PS: One can cook the rice and dal separately and the seasoning to it.

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