The ultimate comfort food traditionally served for breakfast in Southern parts of India. Ven pongal as popularly called is that breakfast dish that you want to make it every week and I personally wouldn't mind everyday too. It's soothing, comforting and satisfying.
Dry roast rice and moong dal in a hot kadai. This will bring out nice aroma of the pongal.
Wash & Soak rice and moong dal together for about 15-20 minutes. Soaking helps in faster cooking.
In a pressure cooker add the soaked rice and dal and 4 cups of water, whole green chilies(slit) and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
Once pressure is released, remove the cooker lid and mash the mixture using a ladle.
In a deep bottom pan, add ghee and roast cashews in hot ghee until they turn golden brown. Remove cashews and keep them aside.
Into the same pan add oil, once hot, add cumin seeds, pepper corns, asafoetida, salt, chopped ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a minute or 2.
Now add cooked rice dal mix and mix it well making sure no lumps are formed. Reduce the flame and cook it for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar or even spicy pickle goes well with pongal.
Notes
Do not miss the step of dry roasting rice and dal separately. This will bring the flavors out and results in pongal that tastes as good as from your favorite restaurant.
Ghee is MUST while making pongal. The flavor and taste of pongal all depends on how much ghee you use. Loads of ghee = amazing tasty pongal :D
I always soak dal and rice together before cooking in pressure cooker. This helps cook rice-dal faster.
Adding green chilies to rice-dal in pressure cooker is optional. If you like spicy pongal then green chilies does it's magic.