Rawa Pongal

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:25 m

Serves:4

Ingredients

Rawa/Sooji/Semolina - 1 cup

Moong Dal                 - 1/2 cup(soaked for 15m)

Water                         - 5 cups

Turmeric Powder       - 1/8 th of tsp

Salt

To Temper

Ghee                  - 2 tsp

Cashew             - 6

Cumin Seeds     - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves     - 1 sprig

Pepper Powder  - 1/4 tsp

Peppercorn        - 1/2 tsp

Method

• Soak the moong dal for fifteen minutes.Dry roast rawa till aroma wafts out and set aside.Bring a large pan of salted water to boil and add the soaked moong dal.Add a very tiny pinch of turmeric powder to this and wait till the moong dal gets cooked enough that it gets powdery when pressed between fingers.
                              
                     
  
• Now add the roasted rawa little by little stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.
  
• Heat ghee in a pan,roast the cashews and add it to the pongal.Temper the other items and mix with the pongal.Serve with chutney or sambhar.
                                                
                                      
     

Little Words

• Moong dal can be pressure cooked for one whistle and then added.
• Add little more water if all the water has been used up for cooking moong dal.
• Take the roasted rawa in a bowl and sprinkle with one hand stirring continuously with other hand so that no lumps are formed.
• Add pepper powder while preparing for kids.
• Ideal for toddlers as it is easily digested.
• Melts in the mouth and yummy too.

Ven Pongal

Prep Time:5 m        Cook Time:20 m

Serves:2

Ingredients

Raw Rice   - 1/2 cup

Moong Dal - 1/2 cup

Salt             - to taste

Water         - 3 &1/2 cups

To Temper
Ghee               - 1 tblsp
Cumin Seeds  - 1 tsp
Peppercorn     - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Cashewnut     - few

Method

• Wash and soak rice and dal for twenty minutes.
     
• Add required amount of water,salt and pressure cook for three whistles.Mix it with a ladle and it gets mashed up well easily.
     
• Heat ghee and add the items to temper and add this to the pongal,mix well and serve with sambhar or chutney.
                                      
     

Little Words

• Adjust the quantity of water such that it is one to two cups extra than for the normal rice.
• Kids may not like eating whole peppercorn so pepper powder can be added for them.
• While serving drizzle some ghee on top.
• Served with sambhar or coconut chutney this makes an excellent breakfast. 
• While tempering roast the cashewnuts separately and add it to the remaining else jeera may get burnt.