Ven Pongal

Hi
I have been away from blogging for a month now and I already feel lost. I am still not able to get the feel of this new blogger……I dont like this at all…but I guess…I have to learn to use it all over again:-(.
Well coming back to blogging with Blogging marathon with the theme of “Thali”. For the day 1 I chose to cook a sumptuous breakfast thali…a very south Indian Tamil one and Ven pongal cannot escape a Tamil breakfast thali.This thali has soft idli’s,
 Dosai,

Vadai, Onion Sambar,

 Coconut chutney ,

Molaga podi

 Venpongal and a healthy fruit.
VEN PONGAL

INGREDIENTS
Raw rice      1 cup
Green gram dhal  1/4 cup
Milk                 1 1/2 cup
Water               1 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds     1tsp
Pepper             1 tsp
Ginger              1/4″ piece
Curry leaves      few
Ghee               2-3 tbsp
Salt                   to taste
PREPARATION
Crush pepper and cumin seeds coarsely
Wash both rice and dhal together
Cook this with the milk and water combined till it turns mushy. I cook it in the cooker upto 3 whistles.
Remove the lid aftr the pressure has subsided and mash well.
Add the grated ginger and curry leaves to this and mix well. Add salt to this and mix well. Now continue to cook this in low flame.
Heat a pan with the required ghee. Fry the coarsely powdered cumin and pepper in this.
Add this to the pongal and cook for 5 more minutes.
Switch off the stove and serve with more ghee if necesary
Linking this to Thali mela  by Srivalli
Heat a pan with the ghee
Check out Bm#15 for the other exciting recipes by fellow marathoners