Ven Pongal

Ingredients:

• Rice – 1 cup
• Moong dhal – ½ cup
• Water – 6 cups
• Ginger (chopped) – 1 tsp
• Cumin sees – 2 tsp
• Whole pepper – 2 tsp
• Asafoetida – ½ tsp
• Curry leaves – 10
• Oil -1 tsp
• Ghee – 3 tbsp
• Salt- to taste

Method:

1. Mix rice and dhal together. Wash under running water and strain.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the rice dhal mixture along with 6 cups of water.
3. Also add cumin seeds (1tsp), chopped ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, salt , oil and a tsp of ghee and pressure cook for cook 4 whistles.
4. Remove the cooker when pressure settles down
5. In a separate wok, mix oil and ghee and heat until hot
6. Add cumin seeds (1tsp) and whole black pepper. Allow to splutter
7. Add cashewnuts and roast till golden brown
8. Add curry leaves and pour the tempering over the molten pongal
9. Drizzle more ghee on the pongal
10. Serve hot with sambar and/or chutney

Here is the actual recipe video of how this is made at home. This is part of my Ammavum Naanum series where my mom teaches me heirloom recipes that have a story to tell. The entire series can be seen here: