Ven Pongal

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups

Moong dal - 3/4 cup

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)

Green chilli - 1

Black pepper - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Curry leaves - a few

Cashewnuts - a few

Ghee - as required

Method:

Heat ghee in a pressure pan. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, black pepper, green chillies and ginger. Fry well. Grind some black pepper and cumin seeds together and keep aside. Wash rice and dal together. Add to the above. Mix well. Add required salt and water. Mix well. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Heat ghee in another pan. Add the grounded mixture. Fry well and add to the pongal. Lastly add fried cashews in ghee. Add more ghee if required before serving. Serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Note: You can add ginger , pepper etc at the last also instead of adding together along with rice.