Venn Pongal

Venn pongal is one of the common breakfast items in Tamil Nadu. The cumin,  pepper and the curry leaves fried in ghee give out an aroma that fills the whole house. The tiny ginger pieces in the pongal give a beautiful punch to the dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Split Moong Dal/Split Green Gram - 1/2 cup (husked)
Butter or Ghee - 2 Tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 Tablespoon
Black Pepper Corns - 1 Tablespoon
Green Chillies - 2
Curry Leaves - 10 to 15
Cashew nuts - 10
Ginger - 1 Tablespoon (finely chopped)
Water - 3 1/2 cups
Salt - to taste


Method
1. Wash rice and the lentil together and soak in water for 10 minutes.
2. Heat a thick bottomed pan or pressure cooker add the butter/ghee to melt. Once it is hot, add the cumin seeds and pepper corns followed by green chillies, curry leaves and cashew nuts.
3. Now add the chopped ginger and cook for a minute.
4. Now add the rice and lentil to the pan by straining the water. Mix the contents together, so that they blend well together with the ghee.
5. Add 3 1/2 cups of water followed by salt to taste and close the lid and put the weight for the pressure cooker.
6. Wait for 3 whistles and turn off the heat.
7. Once the pressure is reduced, open the lid and add a tablespoon of ghee and mix everything together.
       Tasty venn pongal is ready to be served!

Note
* Instead of raw rice, the regular boiled rice can also be used.
* Serve the pongal along with lentil sambar, coconut chutney and Urud dal fritters.