Pongal

Recently read an article which said that Keralites are now eating more carb than protein. I think one is consuming more quantity of rice and have almost discarded vegetable preparations like curry, thoran and mezhukkuparatty. Even the breakfast like puttu used to be more of kadala curry or payar thoran. Carbohydrates are essential but protein is needed too. This brings me to my recipe : Pongal. It is a late entrant to my kitchen and I am regretting the same since it is so easy to prepare this tasty and nutritious item. Though I have tasted pongal before it was only when my colleague prepared and shared it along with the recipe that I realized it is an easy and tasty one. Recently I had pongal from the Saravana outlet here in Kuwait and found that mine is not that bad! Think there are different ways to prepare pongal but this is a basic recipe.

Pongal

Ingredients

1.      Rice – ½ cup

2.      Split Moong Dal – ½ cup

3.      Water – 3 cups

4.      Jeera(whole or crushed) – 1 tspn

5.      Pepper (whole or crushed) – 1 tspn

6.      Curry leaves – a bunch

7.      Ghee or oil for frying (the more the better)

Cook rice and dal with enough salt in a pressure cooker for two whistles or boil until it is well cooked. Meanwhile take a pan and heat ghee. Add jeera, pepper and curry leaves. Fry them until the jeera is browned. (You can add green chilly and ginger like upuma, but am yet to try it) Add this to the cooked rice and dal and mix well. It is ready to eat!

You can also fry cashew nuts for the extra crunch.