Venn Pongal with Tomato Gothsu

Pongal is made of Rice and Moong dal. Venn Pongal literally means white pongal. It is the salty version of the Chakkara Pongal (sweet pongal) made during the Pongal festival. If you are wondering why I did not make the Chakkara Pongal today, read my post on Sweet Idli. I am still heart broken.

It is the standard recipe. But I have made one small change to it. Usually the rice and dal are cooked together. I somehow don't like that much as my dal always fails to cook well. Also, the ratio is of rice and dal are different for Sweet Pongal. So if I cook separately, I can mix whatever ratio I want.



Ingredients

Raw Rice 2 cups
Split yellow Moong dal 1 cup
Melted Ghee 1/2 cup
Pepper 2-3 tsp
Cumin 2 tsp
Cashew few
ginger small piece finely chopped
Salt

Method of Preparation

1. Pressure Cook the rice with 5 cups of water. (1:2.5 ratio). Cook the dal as well till well done.

2. Coarsely powder the pepper and cumin.

3. In a pan, heat half the ghee. Add the cashews. When it starts to brown, add the ginger, pepper and cumin.

4. After a few seconds, add the rice, dal and salt. Add the rest of the ghee. Add a little water if required. Stir well and mash everything together.

Serve with chutney or gothsu.

Gothsu is usually prepared with Eggplant (Kathirikka). As I have told you already about my husbands 'love' for Kathirikka, I make a tomato Gothsu that works well with Pongal.

Ingredients

Onion 1 big sliced
Tomato 3 chopped into small pieces
Curry leaves and green chillies (optional)
Sambar powder 3 tsp
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Tamarind 1/2 tsp
Salt and oil to taste

Method of preparation

1. Heat oil in pan and add the Mustard.

2. When it sputters, add the onion, curry leaves and green chillies.

3. When the onion starts to cook, add the tomatoes. Cook till it is wilted.

4. Add sambar powder and tamarind and some water and boil.

5. If it is too watery, you can add some rice flour to thicken it. I did not add it today.