VENPONGAL WITH SAMBHAR

 

Venpongal is a tradition south indian breakfast as well as festive food. It is easy to do and comfort for stomach also. It is very famous in hotels along with idly,sambhar and medhu vada. Recently I ate this as a part of mini tiffen in a hotel (AAB)in Bangalore. The taste of pongal in the hotel was splendid. It was in my mind for quite a long time and when I did this at home  next time I tried to bring that taste by adopting several changes. So this recipe has the authentic  taste and consistency if we follow each step carefully.

 

 

 

STEP 1 INGREDIENTS:

 

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dhal - 1/4cup

Ghee+oil -4 tbsp.

Jeera - 1 tbsp.

Peppercons- 4-5 nos.

ginger - 1"

Cashew - 10 nos.

Pepper   Jeera powder - 2 tsp.

Curry leaves.

Salt- 1 1/4 tsp

 

 

In this picture, I have fried moong dal with little ghee. Meanwhile soaked rice for 1/2  hour.

 

1. Fry moongdal with 1/2 tsp ghee until the aroma comes and transfer it to a plate before it turns brown.
2. Soak rice for atleast 1/2 hr so that the rice will get boiled soon.
3. Prepare the other ingredients as mentioned above.

 

STEP 2 COOKING RICE:

 

 

 

 

 

1. Take a cooker vessel add soaked rice after draining that water.
2. Add 41/2 cups of water to that.
3. Add fried moong dhal to the rice.
4. Pressure cook the mix for 3 whistles and simmer it for 8 mins.
5. Switch off the stove after simmering.
6. Let it cool for 15 mins or until the pressure is released. Open the cooker and mash it well and let it cool down  completely.

 

 

MASHED RICE

 

 

STEP 3 TEMPERING:

 

 

 

Take a pan add full ghee +oil.

Add Jeera,pepper,curry leaf,cashew and fry till cashew changes light brown.Now switch off the gas and add pepper jeera powder.

Immediately  pour it on the mashed rice.

 

 

 

When the rice gets cooled off well  and if you feel that  the consistency has become thick, add 1/2cup of boiled hot water to it at this stage and mix vigorously so that lumps do not form.

Next important tip is serve hot.

 

 

 

 

SAMBHAR

 

Though I didn't take the stepwise picture of sambhar, I want to mention that,  the  sambhar which accompanied pongal that day is a regular sambhar sans toor dal and it so  went well.

 

Method:

 

Tamrind extract thin - 1 cup

Sambhar powder - 1 tsp

Drumstick/ carrot - 1 number

MTR kuzhambhu powder - 1 tbsp

coconut - 2 tbsp.

daniya powder - 2 tsp

 

As usual tempering of mustard,curry leaf and chana dal.

 

Take tamarind juice boil, add sambhar powder and veg.Boil it for 10 mins. Add mtr powder add water if the tamarind water is evaporated. Let it boil. Now grind coconut to fine  paste.Add it to the boiled sambhar mixture. Sprinkle daniya powder. Yummy sambhar is ready.Temper in ghee.