Ven Pongal is a simple , popular breakfast dish from south India . It is a mixture of rice and moong dhal cooked together and seasoned with ginger , pepper corns , jeera ( cumin) , cashews and curry leaves. There are different ratios and methods of doing the dish . Pongal can be had with any kind of chutney , sambar of even just spicy pickles . There is s sweet version as well , Sakkarai pongal , which is cooked during festivals as offerings .
I like to add more moong dhal and use broken pepper corns instead of whole ones . Normally short grained rice is used for this dish
Ingredients
White rice -1 cup
Moon dhal -1/2 cup
Water -5 cups
Ginger – cut finely -1 tsp
Jeera-1 tsp
Black pepper -11/2 tsp( broken )
Cashews-10-12 pcs broken
Asafoetida-2pinches
Curry leaves-2 springs
Melted Ghee -2tbsp
Salt as desired
Method
Wash and cook rice and moong dhal , with water , salt and a pinch of asafoetida. If using pressure cooker cook for 5-6 whistles .
We need the rice and dhal to be a complete mash .
Heat ghee in a pan , add jeera , pepper , ginger , cashews, asafoetida and curry leaves and add to the cooked mash . Mix well . The mixture must not be sticky and must fall of the spoon , this is the right consistency. Add more ghee if needed to achieve that consistency.
Some cook the peppercorns with the rice and dhal . If doing that use whole peppercorns.
But I like the peppercorns to be crispy fried , I break them so it’s easier to eat with the rice .