VenPongal

Serves 4 persons

Ingredients

Moongdal 1 cup

Rice 2 cups

Pepper 2tb sp

Cumin seeds 2 tbsp

Green chili 2

Ginger 1 inch

Curry leaves handful

Cashew nuts 6-8

Ghee 4-5 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

Coaresly grind 1tb sp of  pepper and cumin together.

Finely cut the ginger and  green chillies.

Take a pan, fry the moongdal and rice without oil for sometime till a aroma of the dal comes.

Put the dal and rice together in a vessel with  water in the ratio of Mix(dal+rice) : water 1: 3 and salt to taste and cook it in a cooker for 3 whistles.

Mash the cooked rice and dal well and keep aside. 

In a pan take the ghee. Add the cashew nuts and fry till  light brown. Keep aside.

In the rest of the ghee, add the rest of the pepper and cumin, fry.

Add greenchillies and ginger.

Add the pepper-cumin powder, curry leaves  and mix well.

Add the mashed rice and dal and mix well.

If required for the consistency warm water can be added. The required consistency is semisolid.

While serving little ghee can be added.

Serve hot with Sambhar and chutney.

  

INSTANT SAMBAR

Goes very well with idly, dosa, pongal and roti
Serves 4 persons

Ingredients
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli 1
Hing (asafoetida) ½ tsp
Chana dhal 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tb sp
Onion 1
Carrot 1
Capsicum 1
Tomatoes 3 medium
Curry leaves few
Moong dal ½ cup
Sambar powder 1- 1 ½ tb sp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add some oil and mustard seeds. Allow it to splatter.
Add the chana dhal, fenugreek seeds, red chilli , hing and curry leaves. Fry it till it turns light brown.
Add the vegetables and fry it for 2-3 minutes.
Add the sambar powder and moong dhal (uncooked). Fry it for a minute.
Add 3 cups of water, salt and close the lid.
Wait for 3 whistles.
Allow it to cool and garnish with coriander leaves.
If thick can add some water and adjust the consistency.
Note: Not always these vegetables are needed. Some other variations can also be used.