Ven Pongal

Popular South Indian breakfast dish prepared mainly with rice and lentils. Ideal dish for any time of the day. Can be served with spicy chutney and vatral-kozhambu (spicy and sour sauce).

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 27 mins
• Total Time: 37 mins
• Calories: 308 Calories

Ingredients

• salt to taste
• 1 cup white rice
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 cup yellow lentils (moong dal)
• 4 cups water, or as desired
• 5 curry leaves
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, minced (Optional)
• ¼ cup cashews (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add rice and lentils. Cook and stir until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse.

Step 2

Place rice-lentil mixture, 1 tablespoon ghee, and salt in a rice cooker or pressure cooker; add water. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions until rice and lentils are tender and the consistency of a paste, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir and mash into a fine paste.

Step 3

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add black pepper and cumin seeds; cook until seeds start to pop, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir cumin mixture into rice-lentil mixture.

Step 4

Tear curry leaves roughly and stir into rice-lentil mixture; stir in ginger. Season with salt.

Step 5

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir cashews until toasted and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Garnish rice-lentil mixture with toasted cashews.