Pongal is often made during the festival of Sankranthi. Sankranthi is a festival celebrated in India. It marks the transition of the Sun from one zodiac to another. It is also celebrated as the harvest festival.
Pongal
Ingredients
Serves 5-6
3/4th cup Rice
3/4th cup Moong Dal
2 tablespoon Oil
6 Peppercorns
4 Curry Leaves
3-4 tablespoons of fresh Desiccated Coconut/Dry Coconut
2 tablespoons of broken Cashew Nuts
2 Green Chillies, split
1 tablespoon Mustard Seeds, to temper
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tablespoon Ghee
4 1/2 cups Water
Salt to taste
Tamarind Gojju
Ingredients
2 cups of Tamarind Juice
{soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice of it. add 2 cups of water to thin it down}
1 teaspoon Rasam Powder
1 teaspoon Jeera
1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1/2 cup Jaggery
{add more if the gojju is too sour}
Salt to taste
Method for Pongal
- Wash rice and moong dal separately and drain the water.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker and when it is hot add the cashew nuts and fry till golden brown.
- Carefully remove the cashew nuts into a bowl (add it at the end to preserve its crunchiness)
- Now to the same oil add mustard, crushed peppercorns, green chillies.
- When it splutters, add Moong dal and fry it till its golden brown.
- Add rice and fry it for a couple of minutes.
- Now add water , turmeric and salt.
- Cook the rice mixture upto 2-3 whistles.
- Add more water once its done. It should be of gravy consistancy. Once the pongal is cooled , it becomes too thick.
- Add coconut , fried cashew nuts and some ghee.
- Serve it hot with Tamarind Gojju {recipe follow}
Note: If you are planning to serve it later , then add more water.
Method for Tamarind Gojju
- In a bowl add the extracted tamarind juice.
- Add 2 cups of water to thin it down.
- Add Jaggery and rasam powder and boil it for a few minutes.
- Add some salt and temper it with jeera and mustard seeds.
- Enjoy it along with hot Pongal.
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