Pongal

Pongal is a South Indian dish where Rice and split green gram lentil are cooked in ghee (clarified butter) and spiced up with black pepper powder and few other spices. This is a comforting dish and easy to prepare.

Nutrition:Rice, the primary carb source, lentil the protein source and fat from Ghee( clarified butter) makes this dish a complete meal in a bowl.
Indian food usually incorporates various spices into the food, where each has a specific health benefit.The Ginger, pepper and Asafotida in the recipe helps with easy digestion of lentils. Ginger, pepper are anti inflammatory agents N they both treat coughs and colds which are common during winters.

At home we use sona masoori rice for daily cooking , which is the same rice I used for this recipe.

 The usual recipe uses whole black peppercorns which are inedible especially for kids for they are bitter and spicy, and hence gets discarded. In order to prevent that and to make everyone eat healthy pepper I grind the pepper to a powder and add to the dish. Also this way the spice will be uniformly mixed in and makes pongal taste better. Coming to ginger I like the bite of ginger in between but for kids its not suitable. So  grate the ginger and add to the recipe incase kids are eating. I do not like cashews in rice dishes but if you like em add fried cashew pieces to the rice.I used some to decorate the rice.

 At home we savor pongal  with Majjiga charu (Spiced buttermilk). Also typically it's served with Sambar (lentil Veggi stew) and papad. 

Servings:
Four (4)

Total time:
35 minutes

Category:
rice dishes

Author:
Praveena Gudipati

Ingredients: (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml)
1 Cup rice (sona masoori)
1/2 cup split black gram (moong dal or pesarapappu)
6  cups water total
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
Few whole pepper corns (optional)

For seasoning:
1 teaspoon black pepper powder (miriyala podi)
3 tablespoon ginger pieces or grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
4tablespoons Ghee (Clarified butter)
1/8 teaspoon Asafotida (Inguva or Hing)
2 tablespoon Cashew pieces

Pongal step-by-step Recipe with Photos

1. Take Rice and lentils in a pressure pan or cooker,Wash twice, drain water .
   
2. Add 3.5 cups water, 1 tablespoon Ghee, turmeric,pepper corns(optional) and salt to taste to the pan and cook it for 3-4 whistles.
   
   
   
3. While the rice is cooking prepare the seasoning:
4. Cut ginger into small pieces or grate ginger.Crush the peppercorns in a mortar pestle or coffee grinder into a smooth powder.
   
   
   
   
5. Take a pan and heat 3 tbsp ghee in it. If you are using cashews fry the pieces in the ghee to golden brown color.Take em in a bowl.I used some pre roasted cashews for decoration as I do not like cashews in my rice dishes.
6.  Add cumin seeds to the ghee , when the seeds splutter add ginger pieces.
   
   
   
   
7. Sautee for a minute, then add curry leaves, fry for 30 sec.
8. now add black pepper powder. turn off the stove and add Hing.Black pepper powder fried in ghee gives a nice aroma which is the reason I add in seasoning instead adding it to rice in pressure cooker.
9. The seasoning is ready.Keep it aside.
10. When the rice is done, wait till the pressure is gone, open the cooker.
    
11. Mix rice mixture with a spoon at the same time mashing it lightly.
12. Now turn on the stove to heat the rice mixture, add 2.5 cups water add the prepared seasoning, mix into the rice mixture while heating.
    
13. The pongal will get the righ texture now, not thick, little runny. Boil the pongal for few minutes and turn off the stove.
    
14. Pongal is ready to serve with your choice of sides.
    

Related Recipes:

• Cracked wheat Pongal
• Kichidi