Ishta Pachakam

Venpongal

Ingredients
Raw rice 1 cup
Moong dal/pasi paruppu 1/4 cup
Water 4 cups
Salt as needed
Ginger chopped 1 tblsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch
To temper
Ghee 2 tblsp
Pepper 2 tsp
Jeera 2 tsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Asafoetida 2 pinches

Cashews 5-6

Method
An optional step is to roast the moong dal for extra flavour. Wash rice and dal together. 
Heat a small cooker with a tsp of ghee. Fry ginger and asafoetida for few seconds.Add 4 
cups of water,bring to boil. Add the washed rice,dal,salt and pressure cook for 4 whistles 
in medium flame.Wait until pressure gets released by itself,open & mash.season with the 
items given under to temper table. First add ghee, when hot add pepper and let it start 
splutter and then switch off the flame. Add cashews and fry till it starts golden and then 
lastly add jeera. Add curry leaves and asafoetida lastly. Mix in the heat well and then add 
it to pongal and mix well.pongal is ready to be served