84. Ven Pongal (Kara Pongal)

Flavorful and wholesome comfort food!

Ven Pongal (Ven = white), is a popular breakfast of the South India cuisine. This is also made as an offering at the temples and homes during festivals and other auspicious days.

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Ingredients:

• Rice (Short grain) - 3/4 cup

• Moong dal (split green gram) - 1/4 cup

• Water - 3 cups

• Green Chili - 1 (slit)

• Ghee - 1/2 tsp

• Salt - as per preference

For Tempering

• Ghee - 2 TBSP

• Cashews - 12

• Pepper - 1 tsp

• Jerra (Cumin) - 1 tsp

• Asafetida powder - 1/4 tsp

• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs

• Ginger - 1 TBSP finely chopped

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Instruction:

1. Wash the rice and dal together. Soak them for a minimum of 30 minutes

2. Take a pressure cooker and add water, salt, 1/2 tsp ghee, slit green chili and bring the water to a boil

3. Drain and add the rice and dal mixture and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles on medium flame

4. In a pan, heat 2 TBSP of ghee and add the cashew nuts, fry them till they turn golden and remove from pan

5. To the same pan add pepper, cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle add asafoetida, ginger and curry leaves. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat

6. Open the cooker (after the pressure eases) and mix the rice and dal. Check and adjust salt

7. Add the ghee tempering and mix it well

8. Drizzle few drops of ghee if needed

9. Serve hot pongal with onion chutney (recipe to follow); sambar or coconut chutney. Brinjal Gotsu (https://mycookbook.substack.com/p/chidambaram-gothsu)

   is also a good side dish for Pongal.

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