Ven Pongal / Khara Pongal
South Indian king of breakfasts Ven Pongal / Khara Pongal. Rice and dal/lentils cooked and tempered with cumin, pepper, ginger and ghee.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup Raw rice (sona masuri)
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup split moong dal (see notes)
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 Tablespoon broken cashewnut
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Soak rice in water. Take split moong dal and dry roast it on a very low flame until you can smell the roasted dal. It would take approximately 3 minutes. Don’t roast for long. Cook the dal and rice together in a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water for a good 15 minutes or 10-12 whistles.
- 2
Coarsely grind pepper and cumin with the help of a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- 3
Heat some ghee and oil in a pan. I used 2 tablespoons of ghee and a tablespoon of oil. Add in the broken cashew nut, ginger, curry leaves and green chillies. Roast on a low flame. Once the nuts are roasted add in the pepper-cumin mixture. Roast briefly for 20 seconds.
- 4
Add in the cooked rice-dal mixture and salt. Mix everything to combine. Saute briefly for a minute or two.
- 5
Remove off heat.