South Indian Breakfast Thali

Today's post for the Blogging Marathon#16 under the thali theme is a simple breakfast thali.The menu is

• Sambhar Idly
• Ulundhu Vadai(urad dhal vada)
• Ven Pongal(pongal)
• Nei Roast(ghee roast)
• Degree Kaapi

The accompaniments are

• Thengai chutney(coconut chutney)
• Sambhar
• Poondu chutney(garlic chutney)

Venpongal

                        Venpongal is a easy to make breakfast item which I make almost every Saturday for breakfast or dinner.Sometimes make it for lunch if I feel lazy to cook or run out of idly batter.Here is the recipe...

 

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Raw rice/paccharisi	1cup
Moong dhal/paasiparuppu	1/3cup
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	11/2tsp
Black pepper/milagu	1tsp
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Ginger/inji(finely chopped)	1tsp
Asafoetida/perugayam	a generous pinch
Turmeric powder/manjal podi	a pinch
Cashews(broken)	11/2tbs
Ghee/nei	3tbs
Oil	1tbs
Salt	to taste

Method 

• Wash the rice and dhal together in the water for couple of times.
• Pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric powder,asafoetida and the salt with 4 cups of water for 2 whistles in a medium flame.
• Meanwhile heat the ghee and oil in a pan and crackle the black pepper then add the chopped ginger,curry leaves and cashews.Finally add the cumin seeds and put off the stove.
• Mix it well to the cooked rice and dhal mixture and mix it well,if needed add a tbs of ghee.
• Serve it hot with chutney and sambhar.

Enjoy........................

• The amount of water depends on the quality of the rice,if it is too thick after pressure cook,add a cup of boiling water with a pinch of salt.
• If the mixture is too watery,cook it again till it gets thick.
• Usually I added 1/2tsp of crushed pepper and 1/2 tsp of whole pepper.
• The secret of getting tasty pongal is the amount of ghee used.

Check out the marathoners participating in Blogging Marathon#16.
Linking to Thali Mela happenings in Srivalli's space.