- Submitted by Raji Ramakrishnan
(Pressure Cooker Venpongal, Spicy Pongal, Kaara Pongal)
Ven pongal is made usually by Tamilians for Breakast. In any sadya like weddings, festivals etc., I have seen pongal commonly being served. Normally it is served with medhu vadai, coconut chutney, sambar and kesari for the morning breakfast. A similar dish is named as Kichadi in North India.
To tell you the truth, I like to have this lovely item as breakfast, lunch and for dinner. This time, I had with pumpkin khadi. Here is the recipe to make quick one pot pongal using just a pressure cooker.
Recipe for Khara Pongal
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- Raw Rice - 1 cup
- Moong dal - 1/2 cup
- Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
- Black pepper cons - 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper corns and cumin seeds crushed - 1/2 tsp
- Cashew nuts - 7-8
- Ginger - 1" small piece
- Asafoetida - a pinch
- Curry leaves - few
- Ghee - 2 tbsp
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
Method
- Take the moong dal in the pressure cooker and dry roast it. Keep stirring till you get a nice aroma. See to it that it doesn't get browned.
- Remove the roasted dal onto a bowl. Wash it. Similarly wash the rice. Keep aside the rice and dal for 15 minutes.
- Once you are ready to make, keep the pressure cooker on the stove. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashew nuts. Remove it and keep aside.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil along with the ghee and add the cumin seeds, pepper corns, crushed pepper-cumin seeds and curry leaves.
- Add asafoetida and the soaked rice-dal mixture. Saute for few minutes.
- Add 4 cups of water, required salt and close the cooker. Pressure cook for just one whistle and switch off. In my cooker it is enough. The pressure created inside is sufficient to cook the rice.
- When the pressure comes down naturally, open the cooker. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee and mix in half of the toasted cashews. Remove onto a serving dish and garnish with remaining cashew nut pieces.
Serving Khara Pongal
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