Venn Pongal / Pongali( Seasoned rice and lentils )

Sorry guys, havent posted anything for a week since i wasn't feeling well. Anyway back to blogging with my Hot Pongal!! When it comes to finding alternative food as sumptuous and filling as rice and some curry, i will definitely vote for PONGAL aka Pongali in telugu. It is a simple combination of rice and moong dal( green gram lentils) seasoned with black pepper, cumin seeds, cashews and ghee or clarified butter. It is a common and very popular breakfast in our house( most south indian homes too ). My mom used to make pongal mostly in the weekends . Since pongali doesnt taste good when its cold she wakes up everyone in the early morning and make us relish it once done. At home, Sunday mornings are reserved either for pongal or dosas. My mom serves Pongal with allam pulusu( ginger in tamarind sauce ) and coconut chutney.

Freshly ground Black Pepper and Curry Leaves -- My secret ingredients for perfect PONGAL!

I usually use pressure pan/cooker to make pongal / pongali since its very quick and easy to clean. Alternatively you can use electric rice cooker or a big sauce pot/pan. Anything will work.

You need:

• 2/3 cup rice( sona masoori, never tried with american long grain rice )
• 1/3 cup yellow moong dal/ split green gram/ pesara pappu/ Payatham Parippu
• 4 cups water
• dash of hing
• 1 inch ginger piece chopped very finely

For tempuring( required ):

• 15 -20 cashew nuts
• 2 tsp cumin seeds( jeera )
• 2-3 tbsp ghee or 2 inches stick butter
• 10-15 peppercorns
• 2 tbsp oil / ghee
• 10 curry leaves
  
  

How to:

• Wash rice and moong dal and add to any pressure pan/sauce pan/electric cooker
• Add chopped ginger and hing
• Add water
• If its pressure pan cook it with the weight/whistle on for 3 whistles or if use a stock pot just cook them together till rice and lentils are cooked( not too soft )
• Switch off and keep aside
• Lets make the seasoning now. Take a small kadai or pan and add oil, ghee, cashew nuts, cumin seeds and fry until the cashew nuts are browned.
• Ground the pepper corns coarsely ( i use mortar and pestle )
• Add pepper corns and curry leaves and switch off the heat
• When ready to eat open the pressure pan and add the seasoning
• Adjust salt to taste
• Yes it is that simple!!
  

For the best PONGAL / PONGALI:

• Please do not avoid hing
• If u don't have curry leaves / kaju on hand postpone making pongal, yeah its that important
• Always open the pressure pan just before eating and add the seasoning otherwise it would get hard
• Before opening the pan boil a glass of water. When you find that pongal is thick and you want it a little thinner add the boiling water and stir( This works really good and its a tip from my MIL )
  

I usually make this pongal as a weekend brunch. For my husband i serve this with coconut chutney and for me nothing beats allam pulusu( I will post the recipe soon ). My grandma is very clever when it comes to cooking and using the leftovers. She never likes to throw food and towards that goal she comes up with some delicious makeovers for leftovers. For leftover pongali, she mixes some rice flour and makes small rotis with hand and cooks just like chapathi or roti. This tastes so good with any mango pickle. I promise leftovers never tasted this good!!

Tags: Khichdi, pappannam, pappu annam, Pongal, pongali, Rice and dal stew,