Ven Pongal ~ My style

Ven Pongal / Kara Pongal is a luxury to me that is quite rich and flavored, a delicacy that is fit for the Royals. But this is a staple dish in most South-Indian homes and in our house-hold this is a favorite to both fathers (Dad & Appa -FIL). Apart from both father's celebrating their birthday's on the same day, they also share the similar love for Ven Pongal.

After marriage, during the busy hours of the morning when I try to juggle between cooking breakfast and lunch, my Appa (FIL) would peep in the kitchen to check what's for breakfast and every week he'd ask the same question - "Ennaiku tiffennukku enna pongal ah" (Are you making Ven pongal for breakfast?) and this is a hint to me that he is on a Pongal mode so my answer would either be yes or no, but if its no the subsequent day He gets his Pongal for sure. 

Although there are many versions to the pongal recipe, I love my own and I usually plate it with a tsp of ghee on top so that each of us get our portion of ghee :-) 

Prep &Cook time ~ 20 mins (1 hr for soaking)

Serves ~ 2 people (generous portion)

Ingredients

Split Moong Dal - 1/2 cup

Raw rice - 1 cup

Water to boil - 3 1/2 cup

Pepper cons - 1 tsp

Spring of curry leaves

Salt

Hing/ Asafoetida - generous pinch

Ghee - generous tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp for frying cashew

Cashew - broken in halfs 8-10

Method

• First wash the dal & rice for 2-3 times in water, drain and soak the rice and dal for atleast an hr before cooking. Once done in a pressure cooker cook it for 4-5 whistles with salt and hing until they are soft and mushy
• In a skillet add ghee and pop the peppercorns, little more hing and curry leaves, add this to the boiled rice and dal. In the same skilled add some more ghee and fry the cashew until brown and add them to the above
• Now give it a good mix and plate it, topping with some ghee (optional)

Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar. 

Click here to get the recipe for coconut chutney
Click here to get the recipe for sambar

Tips 

-make sure that the dal and rice are mushy cos they taste well that way

-you could also grind the peppercorns coarsely and add for more flavor and good use of the peppercorns

-use ghee according to your own liking, using butter may not be in equal power to the dish
-you could also use some sumin/jeera along with peppercons