VENPONGAL RECIPE |GHEE PONGAL | PONGAL RECIPE

                   Ven Pongal is a popular breakfast dish in south Indian homes during weekends. A dish of rice and dal combination makes a healthy, balanced meal. Ven pongal is often served with sambar and chutney. Brinjal gosdhu is another option. Though it is my favourite breakfast. Rice usually gives me carb shock so I call it as " SLEEPING DOSE"as nick name.
     
  Ingredients

           3/4 Cup of Rice(Raw or Boiled)
           1/4 Cup of Moong dal
           3 Cups of Water
           2 Tsp of Jeera/Cumin
           2 Tsp of Pepper
           1/2 Inch of Finely Chopped Ginger
           1/4 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
           Pinch of Asafoetida
           Few Curry Leaves
           Few Roasted Cashews
           3-4 Tbsp of Ghee
           Salt as needed

  Method

INGREDIENTS

• Soak and wash dal and rice seperately
• Heat a cooker with a ghee, add whole pepper or crushed pepper and close the lid and wait till it crackles.
• Add cumin, chopped ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, cashews and turmeric powder. Fry for few secs.
• Add Moong dal and fry for few mins.
• Add Rice and fry for few secs
• Add 3 cups of water and required salt. Mix well. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and switch off the stove.
• Hot ghee pongal is ready.

   
  Tips

• Serve with sambar, chutney and vada .
• Another method to cook pongal is to roast dal and rice and pressure cook it. In a separate pan, do the tempering with pepper,cumin,curry leaves, ginger, cashews, curry leaves in ghee and transfer this seasoning to the cooker containing cooked dal and rice.
• To make your pongal more spicy, add green chillies.
• Adding black pepper along with turmeric increases the bio availability of turmeric.

  Health Benefits of Pongal

• Easy and comfort food.
• Moong dal rich in fiber and protein.
• Healthy and nutritious food.