Taatha's Pongal Recipe

Well, that is a tall claim, but I do try! Here is the version of pongal that resembles Thaatha's Pongal, somewhat! This recipe easily serves 4 adults.

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice                     1 cup
2. Moong Dal (Payatham Paruppu) 1/2 cup
3. Water                        4 cups
4. Black Pepper                 1/2--3/4 tsp
5. Cumin or Jeeragam            3/4 tsp
6. Ginger                       2 inches long
7. Asafoetida or L.G            1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves                 5-6 leaves
9. Salt                         to taste
10. Ghee                         2-3 tbs, (health permitting!)
11. Cashew pieces                Again, health is the limit!
    

Prep work:

1. Wash rice and dal together and drain. Add about 4 cups of water.
2. Coarsely break up pepper and cumin into little pieces. (Pulse in your blender for 2-3 secs)
3. Cut ginger and curry leaves into tiny pieces
4. Stir fry #2 and #3 along with Asafoetida in 1 tsp of ghee and add to rice-dal mix.
5. Pressure cook the above mix until Pongal turns out soft and wet.
6. Mix in salt to taste.
7. If pongal appears dry and the rice looks grainy, add about a half-glass of hot water and stir vigorously.
8. Heat remaining ghee and stir fry cashews until golden brown and season the pongal.

Offer to the Lord and then enjoy!

Tip: If the balance of pepper-cumin-ginger is just right, you will not need any side dish with Pongal. You may make a gothsu to jazz it up if you wish.