VENPONGAL RECIPE |GHEE PONGAL | PONGAL RECIPE

                   Ven Pongal recipe is a popular breakfast dish in south Indian homes during weekends. A dish of rice and dal combination makes a healthy, balanced meal. Ven pongal  or ghee pongal is often served with sambar and chutney. Brinjal gosdhu is another option. Though it is my favourite breakfast. Rice usually gives me carb shock so I call it as ” SLEEPING DOSE”as nick name.
     
  Ingredients

           3/4 Cup of Rice(Raw or Boiled)
           1/4 Cup of Moong dal
           3 Cups of Water
           2 Tsp of Jeera/Cumin
           2 Tsp of Pepper
           1/2 Inch of Finely Chopped Ginger
           1/4 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
           Pinch of Asafoetida
           Few Curry Leaves
           Few Roasted Cashews
           3-4 Tbsp of Ghee
           Salt as needed

  Method

INGREDIENTS
  • Soak and wash dal and rice seperately
  • Heat a cooker with a ghee, add whole pepper or crushed pepper and close the lid and wait till it crackles.
  • Add cumin, chopped ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, cashews and turmeric powder. Fry for few secs.
  • Add Moong dal and fry for few mins.
  • Add Rice and fry for few secs
  • Add 3 cups of water and required salt. Mix well. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and switch off the stove.
  • Hot ghee pongal is ready.

   
  Tips

  • Serve with sambar, chutney and vada .
  • Another method to cook pongal is to roast dal and rice and pressure cook it. In a separate pan, do the tempering with pepper,cumin,curry leaves, ginger, cashews, curry leaves in ghee and transfer this seasoning to the cooker containing cooked dal and rice.
  • To make your pongal more spicy, add green chillies.
  • Adding black pepper along with turmeric increases the bio availability of turmeric.


  Health Benefits of Pongal

  • Easy and comfort food.
  • Moong dal rich in fiber and protein.
  • Healthy and nutritious food.



           
          



Makki Ki Roti / Corn Flour Chapathi

        Makki in Punjab stands for maize and Roti means Indian flat bread. This is a traditional North Indian Bread. It taste different from wheat chapathi. It is quite easy to prepare and nutritious. Best accompaniment for this roti is Sarson ka Saag(Mustard Greens Gravy)

   Ingredients

       1/2 Cup of Corn Flour
       Pinch of Ajwain(Carom Seeds)
       2 Tbsp of Hot Water
       Salt as needed
       Butter/Ghee for frying

  Method

Chapathi Press
  •  Combine flour, ajwain and salt in a bowl. Mix well.
  •  Add hot water slowly, 1 tbsp at a time.
  •  Knead the flour into a dough. Dough to be soft not sticky.
  •  Divide the dough into equal balls.
  •  Take a ziploc bag/plastic bag, cut it open.
  •  Place it on your rolling surface.
  •  Wet the surface with oil/butter.
  •  Place the ball and press it gently with your hand ( I used chapathi press to flatten the balls)
  •  Carefully remove from the plastic bag and  place on a hot tawa/pan.
  •  You will see tiny bubbles rises on the surface of roti. 
  •  Now it’s time to flip the roti with a spatula. Once first flip is done, apply oil or ghee on the upper surface and spread all over the roti.
  •  Flip again in 30 secs and apply some oil. Press roti gently with a spatula and cook till brown spots appear on both the sides of the roti. 
  •  Hot Makki ki roti is ready to serve.


  Tips

  •  Best combination for this roti is Sarson ka saag.
  •  You can use grated radish to the flour. Squeeze out excess water from the radish, otherwise it makes dough soggy.


 Health Benefits of Makki Ki Roti

  • Corn Flour is a gluten free food.
  • Rich in vitamin A , magnesium and iron


 



BAJRA ROTI | BAJRA SPINACH ROTI

        Bajra Roti is used mainly in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana. Bajra are also called Kambu in tamil. Millet are getting popular as they are gluten free. This bajra or pearl millet is tasty and nutty in flavour. This is my first time I made, it taste really great with onion raita and dal.

  Ingredients

     1 Cup of Bajra Flour/Pearl millet/Kambu
     1/2 Cup of Wheat Flour
     1 Cup of Finely Chopped Spinach
     1 Finely Chopped Green Chilly
     1/2 Inch Finely Chopped Ginger
     1 Tsp of Jeera/Cumin
     3 Tbsp of Chopped Cilantro/Coriander leaves
     3 Tbsp of Oil
     Salt and water as needed

 Method

Ingredients
  • Mix bajra ,wheat flour, spinach, green chilly, ginger, jeera, cilantro, oil and salt in a big wide bowl.
  • Make a well in the center. In the meantime boil the water in a kettle.
  • Now slowly add warm water in the centre of the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a fork to get stiff dough. I took 1/2 cup of warm water to knead the dough.
  • Now the dough is ready. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  • Knead the dough and divide into equal portions and make it into round balls.
  • Heat tawa or pan. In the meantime lightly grease the rolling surface with flour. Take one ball and make it circular with a rolling pin.
  • Carefully place the roti on the heated pan. You will see tiny bubbles rises on the surface of roti.
  • Now it’s time to flip the roti with a spatula. Once first flip is done, apply oil or ghee on the upper surface and spread all over the roti.
  • Flip again in 30 secs and apply some oil. Press roti gently with a spatula and cook till brown spots appear on both the sides of the roti.
  • Bajra roti is done when both sides are brown and crispy. Remove it from pan and place it in serving dish.
  • Repeat the same process with each ball of dough.


 Tips

  • Serve with any dal or yogurt or any subzi.
  • You can use methi leaves or grated carrot instead of spinach.


 Health Benefits of Bajra(Kambu)

  • Gluten free grain rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
  • It contains 13 essential amino acids.
  • It’s good for bones.
  • This grain is easily digestible.
  • Lowers the cholesterol level in body.
  • Good to eat bajra roti’s in winter.