Ingredients:

• 300 g – raw Rice
• 100 g – moong dal (yellow or green)
• 1/2 – Hing powder
• 1-2 tsp- Cumin seeds
• 10-12 – black pepper
• 10 – Cashew nuts
• 1 inch -ginger
• salt
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder (optional, if you like the colour)
• 4 tsp – Ghee
• 10 leaves – Curry leaves (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the kadai, dry roast rice and moong dal till the mixture becomes hot.
2. Transfer the rice and dal to a container and wash this mixture thrice in fresh water.
3. Pressure cook the rice and dal with four times the quantity of water and some salt, for four whistles.
4. In a kadai, dry roast cumin seeds and pepper for 2 minutes and powder coarsely.
5. Chop the ginger finely and keep aside.
6. Add 1 tbsp of ghee in the kadai and roast the cashew nuts (halved) till they turn light brown.
7. Add the ginger, powdered cumin seeds, hing powder, turmeric powder and curry leaves and roast for a minute.
8. Take out the cooked rice and dal, mix and mash well using a masher.
9. Add all the prepared ingredients and mix well with the remaining ghee.
10. Rice pongal is ready and can be had with coconut chutney.

Recipe courtesy of Saroj Kering