VEN PONGAL WITH SAMBAR, CHUTNEY AND TAMARIND GOJJU

I wish everyone " HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS " .

Today I am posting Venpongal which is a popular dish in South Indian homes and Restuarants. It is typically served as breakfast menu. It is combination of Rice and Moong dhal with mild seasoning of Pepper and Cummin. Sambar and Coconut Chutney is served as accompaniment for this Ven pongal. Another side dish which we make at home is Gojju which is tangy, sweet and spicy one which goes very well with pongal. So here is the simple pongal meal for you to enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients for Pongal :

Raw rice - 1 cup
Moong dhal - 1/3 cup
Water - 3 cups
Milk - 1 cup + 1 cup(keep it warm)
Pepper - 1 tsp ( crack to 2 pieces)
Cummin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 tsp finely chopped
Coconut - 1 tsp (optional)
Cashewnuts - 10 ( cut to 2 pieces each)
Salt to taste
Ghee - 3 tbsp (If calorie conscious use half ghee and oil)




Method :

1. Dry roast the moong dhal slightly.
2. Combine the rice and dhal adding 3 cups of water and 1 cup of milk in vessel keep inside the pressure cooker.
3. Pressure cook for 4 whistles.
4. Once the pressure is released. In a separate pan heat the ghee or oil season with Pepper, cumminAsafoetida, cashew nuts, Coconut switch of the flame. followed by ginger, curry leaves,

5. Add this tempering to the cooked rice and dhal. Keeping the vessel in the flame add some more milk mix well so that it gets mushy. Once everything is blended well. Switch off the flame.

6. Add a tbsp of ghee serve hot with sambar and chutney.

Note :

1.You can also do the Pongal without pressure cooker. Like cook the rice and dhal in water and milk until it is cooked and mushy then season it with other ingredients.

2. When you cook the rice and dhal in cooker sometime it will overflow to avoid this add tsp of oil and pinch of turmeric so that it will not happen.


Ingredients for sambar :

Vegetable of your choice - 1 cup ( I used carrot, radish and drumstick)
Shallots - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1/4 cup
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard - 1 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - if needed
Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp ( Or according to ur taste)
Coriander for garnishing
salt and oil


Method :

1.Pressure cook the Toor dhal with little turmeric and tsp of oil.
2.Boil the vegetables , onion and tomato in water.
3. To this add the dhal, tamarind, sambar powder,curry leaves add some water if necessary let them boil for some time.
4. Now season with asafoetida and mustard. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ingredients for Tangy Tamarind Gojju :

This can be done in two ways

1. Grinding 1/2 onion with tbsp of tamarind pulp and 2 tsp of jaggery by adding little water and then seasoning with urad dhal, green chillies, curry leaves and mustard.

This is another way which I am posting since the onion was so pungent.

Shallots or purple onion - 1/4 cup
Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida - pinch
Green chillies - 1 sliced
Red chilli - 1 broken into pieces
Water - 1/4 cup
Jaggery - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
salt and oil



Method :

1. Heat oil in the pan crackle mustard and add urad dhal.
2. Add chillies, curry leaves ,asafoetida one by one.
3. Saute onion till transparent , add the tamarind, water, jaggery.
4. Once the raw aroma disappears and quantity is slightly reduced. switch of the flame and serve.




Note : Adjust the sourness and sweet according to your taste.

Click Here for the COCONUT CHUTNEY