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.