Khara Pongal

Pongal is a classic pooja dish in south India. You can think of it as south Indian khichdi. When I was a child, I always waited for Temple prasadam and when it was pongal, I was delighted.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 419 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup shredded coconut
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• salt to taste
• 2 green chile peppers, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 pinch asafoetida powder
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 cup rice
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 dried red chile peppers
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 12 cashews
• 1 cup split yellow lentils (moong dal)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Fry the cashews in the hot oil until golden brown; remove from oil and set aside. Cook the red chile peppers, cumin seed, mustard seed, peppercorns, and asafoetida in the hot oil for 2 minutes. Stir the lentils into the mixture and cook another 2 minutes. Add the rice, 1/2 cup coconut, green chile peppers, turmeric, salt, and water; stir.

Step 2

Close the lid of the pressure cooker and bring to 15 pounds of pressure; cook about 35 minutes. Relieve the pressure from the cooker; stir the cashews and ghee into the mixture. Garnish with the cilantro and 1/4 cup shredded coconut to serve.