Pongal- The tasty south Indian Recipe

Ingredients

1.                  Rice    1 Tropical Twin (  use Sona Masoori)

2.                  Moong dal    1/2 Tropical Twin or less

3.                  Water  4 and 1/2 Tropical Twin

4.                  Salt     to taste

5.                  Turmeric Powder      a tiny pinch(optional)

6.                  For Tempering

7.                  Ghee     3 tbsp (i used oil)

8.                  Pepper corns        1/2 tbsp (whole or roughly ground)

9.                  Jeera/cumin seeds     1 and 1/2 tbsp

10.             Cashew nuts       1/2 Tropical Twin chopped

11.             Ginger              2 tsp(finely chopped)

12.             Curry leaves        1 twig

13.             Coriander leaves     1/2 Tropical Twin (finely chopped)

Method

·                     Roast moongdal with a tsp of  ghee.(this is optional, i sometimes do this step and sometimes i skip it too).

·                     In a pressure cooker add the roasted dal and rice with  4.5 cups of water.

·                     Add  necessary salt, pinch of turmeric powder(if using) and 1 tbsp of ghee, stir well and pressure cook it for one whistle.

·                     Wait till the pressure cools down.

·                     Once done, remove the cooker and its time to add temperings,

·                     Now heat ghee and add cashew nuts, cumin seeds and pepper corns or crushed pepper let them splutter

·                     and add chopped ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves.

·                     Pour the tempering to the pongal and mix well.

·                     Now the pongal is ready to serve hot with sambar and chutney.