Ven pongal

Ven Pongal is a savory south Indian breakfast food which is made using rice and yellow moong dal, tempered with cumin seeds, black peppercorns, ginger, curry leaves and ghee and garnished with cashew nuts.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (short grain)
• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 green chilies, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp cashew nuts
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper corns
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2.5 cups water

Method

• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Splutter cumin seeds. Add green chilies, ginger, pepper corns and cashew nuts. Sauté for a minute.

• Add moong dal and stir for a minute. Then add water and bring to a boil. Add salt at this point.

• Add rice and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. One whistle on high flame and one on low flame.

• Once the pressure is released, serve hot with chutney or sambar.