Khara Pongal/Ven Pongal/ Indian Rice and Lentil Pudding (Typical Tamil Nadu Style)

Pongal is one of the most common traditional tiffins of South India. This is very healthy and protein rich breakfast recipe which I learnt from my mother in law. This is also called Ven pongal,specially prepared during festival Pongal. Want to know more about this Festival Pongal ?.
 Rice and Moong dal (Indian Lentil) is cooked together and later spiced with cumin seeds, black pepper, cashew nuts and curry leaves along with lots of lots of ghee. Isn't it Simple?
 I personally found this recipe very easy. Nothing can go wrong here, simple steps to be followed. Serve this tasty Ven Pongal along with coconut chutney and south Indian tiffin sambar. Adding one more tsp of ghee on top of hot pongal just before you serve is more like booster to the taste.

Preparation Time : 25-30 Mins

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 cups rice

1/3 to 1/2 cup moong dal 
1/2 tsp grated ginger (optional)
salt 
4-5 tbsp ghee
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
10-12 black pepper corns
10 curry leaves
10-12 cashew nuts

How to Prepare?

• Add 4.5 cups of water to washed rice and moongdal. Ratio of [rice+dal:water ] is [1:3] .You can use  half cup of water more if you want to make the pongal little watery. 
• Add ginger to it and pressure cook both the dal and rice together. Make sure both rice and moongdal cooked completely. Open the cooker after pressure releases completely.Add salt and 2 tbsp of ghee to cooked rice and dal.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                                                        
•  In a seasoning pan heat one tsp of ghee.Add the cashew nuts and fry till they become golden brown. Add fried cashews to cooked rice and dal.
  

                                              

• Now into the same seasoning pan, add 1 more tsp of ghee, black pepper and cumin seeds.Fry them for 20-30 secs. Now add curry leaves and switch off the flame.Mix well and add the seasoning on top of cooked rice and dal.
  
  
  
  

•  Mix everything well by adding one more tbsp of ghee if required. At this stage you can adjust the consistency by adding water. If you feel its very dry then add water and bring the pongal to boil [ Cook the pongal again for about 4-5 minutes in a medium flame].Serve this hot pongal along with coconut chutney.

Notes/Alternative:

• u can use grated ginger as part of the seasoning ingredients at the end instead of adding in the beginning.
• Always serve this pongal hot with spoonful of ghee on top.

Thanks for going through my recipe , your feed back is always welcome :-)
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