Ingredients (Serves 3)
1. Raw rice – 1/2 cup
Moong dal – 1/4 cup
Water – 2 1/4 cup
2. Hot water – 1/2 – cup or as required
3. Salt – To taste
4. Ghee – 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
Cashews, broken – 3 tbsp
Asafoetida / hing – 1 pinch
Black pepper corns – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – A few
Method
1. Dry roast rice and dal over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat when it is slightly fragrant. Dal should not change its color. Rinse the dal and rice well. Add 2 1/4 cups of water, 1 – 2 tsp ghee and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 3 – 4 whistles. Open the cooker and mash the cooked rice and dal slightly. Add 1/2 – 1 cup hot water, if it is very thick. The texture of the pongal should be soft and creamy. Mix well. (If most the water gets absorbed, but the rice still isn’t cooked, add more hot water and continue cooking till rice is soft.)
2. Heat ghee in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds and then add cumin seeds and cashew nuts. When cumin seeds splutter, add asafoetida / hing, whole black pepper corns (you can crush them slightly if you want) and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds and switch off. Pour this tempering over the prepared pongal. Mix well. You can add extra ghee, if you wish. Serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambar.
Tip
It will thicken a lot as it rests. To reheat – add some hot water, cook until creamy and serve.
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