Ven Pongal

Ven Pongal is a typical tamil breakfast. It is a part of the menu in almost all south-indian restaurants. it is made with rice and lentils so it keeps you full until lunch. It is a combination of rice and split moong dal seasoned with whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, andcashews roasted in ghee. It is usually accompanied with sambar and coconut chutney or with gothsu. Go easy on the ghee since it is the exotic ingredient which adds more flavor to the dish!

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup
Yello moong dal / Paasi raruppu - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 cups
Ginger - half inch
Pepper corns - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - a few
Ghee/oil - 1 tablespoon or more
Milk - 1/2 cup (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions

Cook the rice and dal together with water and salt in a pressure or rice cooker until well cooked. Add warm milk if using and mash well. The consistency should be mushy. In a seperate pan do the seasoning with ghee or oil with the cumin seeds, ginger, curry leaves, peppercorns and cashews. Take care because the peppercorns splutter while doing the tempering. Pour the seasoning over the rice and mix well.

Serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney !

Sending this to WYF:Breakfast hosted by EC.