Venpongal – On a Special Day!
Venpongal: Traditionally, this dish used to be prepared on special days & occasions in South India. And it tastes extremely good. I don’t remember my mom making it very often. I generally prefer making it on alternate Saturdays or once a month. So my Saturdays are made special with venpongal, coconut chutney(click here for recipe) & medhu vadai(click here for recipe) for breakfast. Sounds quite filling for morning, And so it is! This could be complimented with a lighter lunch…probably a rasam with a veggie side… Now you know what I’m heading for…Yes! less cooking on Saturdays… Vadai batter I make it the previous day to make my job easier.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw rice
Little more than 1/4 cup moong dal
4 cup water
3 tblspn ghee
8-10 cashew nuts
1 tspn cummin seeds
1 tspn pepper corns
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/2 inch ginger (finely chopped)
Salt to taste.
Method:
- Dry roast the moong dal for few minutes without burning or browning them.
- Wash the raw rice and the roasted moong dal. Transfer them to pressure cooker.
- Add 4 cup water, 1 tblspn ghee, salt along with rice & dal. Pressure cook for 6-7 whistle. Once the whistle settles down, remove the lid and stir the pongal in medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Sideby, Heat 2 tblspn ghee in a pan. Add the cashew nuts. Sauté until the chashew nuts becomes slightly brown. At this stage add pepper corns, ginger, cummin seeds and curry leaves. As soon as the cummin seeds and curry leaves are added, switch of the stove.
- Pour this tempering over the venpongal and stir in medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Now your venpongal is ready to be served hot.
- venpongal tastes good along with sambar, coconut chutney and vadai.
Happy Cooking!
