Rice, mung dal, milk, ghee and aromatic spices are the backbone of this creamy savoury Pongal that will melt in your mouth and make your morning or afternoon.
Chef Roopa Nabar's recipe for the classical version uses a pressure cooker, shaving several minutes off the cooking process.
Serve the steaming Pongal with an additional drizzle of ghee, if your pefer, and chutney or a relish on the side or even sambar or onion or baingan gotsu (thicker than a sambar) and you have a hearty meal. Appalams are a good accompaniment too.
Photograph: Chef Roopa Nabar for Rediff
Mung Dal Pongal
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- ½ cup skinless mung dal or yellow mung, soaked
- 1 cup rice, soaked
- 3 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 15 curry leaves
- 8–10 black peppercorns
- ½ tsp hing or asafoetida
- 2 tbsp chopped cashews
- Salt to taste, about 1½ tsp
- 2 cups warm water, preheated in the microwave
- 1 cup milk
- Chopped fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
Method
- Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and let splutter.
Add the cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, whole peppercorns, asafoetida.
Sauté well for about a minute.
Add the cashew nuts and stir until lightly roasted.
Add the rice, mung.
Turn the heat up and mix well and fry a minute or so over high heat.
Add the warm water, salt, milk and mix.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes beyond the first whistle.
Release the pressure and carefully open the cooker.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.
Recipe: Kind courtesy TTK Prestige.