Venpongal!

Hi Guys,

For many of us who have grown up in the south, our mornings are synonymous with the wonderful aroma of filter kaapi, venpongal, chutney, sambar, vadai and The Hindu newspaper.

A much loved staple, very nutritious and very mildly spiced wholesome one pot dish, that can not only be cooked in a jiffy but is a wonderful comfort food, which we have all yearned for at one point of time or the other. Not to mention the pongal-induced stupor that follows, for it is quite a filling dish. Lets get started.

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice: 1 Cup
• Payatham Parupu: 1/2 Cup
• Pepper Balls - 1to 1.5 Tbsp
• Jeera - 2 Tsp
• Grated Ginger - 1 Tsp
• Salt - To Taste
• Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp
• Ghee - 2 Tbsp
• Cashew - 10 to 12
• Curry Leaf - A sprig
• Water - 5 Spoonfuls

Method:

• Wash and cook the rice and Daal together till they are mushy.
• In a small pan, heat half the ghee and add Jeera, pepper balls, grated ginger, asafoetida and curry leaf. Let them splutter. Transfer them on to the cooked rice+ Daal.
• Heat the remaining ghee and roast the cashew nuts till they are golden brown in color.
• In a small cup, take some water and add the required salt for the pongal and stir till it dissolves. Add this salty water to the pongal and stir well.
• Pongal is ready to be served hot.

Note: 

• Pongal tastes best when served hot with a dollop of ghee on top
• Eaten best with Coconut chutney, sambar and Vada
• Pongal is best when it is mushy and has a very slightly runny consistency.
• I have dissolved salt in water and added to pongal to ensure that salt is mixed well and there is no inconsistency in the taste. 
• If you add salt while cooking the rice, it may hamper the mushy consistency and separate the grains.