Ven Pongal from Tamil Nadu

Contributed by Sharmila Shanmugasundaram

Ven Pongal recipe is a savoury and a popular South Indian breakfast made with rice and yellow moong dal. Is offered to Gods during auspicious days and festivals. It has a sweet version too which is also quite popular.

Ingredients

1. 1 tsp ghee / clarified butter
2. 2 cup rice, rinsed
3. ½ cup moong dal, rinsed
4. 3 cup water
5. ½ tsp salt

Ingredients for tempering:

1. 2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter
2. 1 tsp mustard seeds
3. 1 tsp cumin / jeera
4. ½ tsp pepper, crushed
5. 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
6. 2 chilli, slit
7. 10 cashew / kaju, halves
8. Few curry leaves
9. pinch hing / asafoetida

Procedure

1. Wash Rice and Dal together.
2. Heat a cooker with 2 tsp of Ghee/ clarified butter.
3. Fry Ginger and hing for a few seconds.
4. Add 3 cups of water, bring to boil.
5. Add washed rice and dal and salt and pressure cook for 4 whistles on medium flame.
6. Wait for pressure to get released by itself, open and mash it.
7. Temper with the above mentioned ingredients.
8. Add curry leaves and hing to the tempering in the end.
9. Add the tempering to the Ven Pongal and mix well.

A garnish with grated coconut makes the dish more beautiful.