Ven Pongal & Gosthu (Pongal and Mixed Vegetable Gravy)

Pongal - Roast ½ cup of Moong Dal in a pan till golden brown in color. Pressure cook ¾ cup of Rice and the roasted moong dal with a pinch of Turmeric Powder and 3 cups of Water for 5 whistles. Keep the cooker aside and let the pressure in the cooker subside. 
Heat 2 tbsp of Ghee; saute slightly grounded - 20 Peppercorns, 1½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, followed by 1 tbsp of finely chopped Ginger and few Curry Leaves. Add this seasoning to the rice and dal mixture along with Salt to taste and mix well till the consistency is like soft and velvetty pudding. Add hot water if the pongal is too thick. Serve hot with gosthu or chutney.

Gosthu:Spice Mixture - Roast ½ tbsp Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp Chana Dal, 4 Dried Red Chillies and 1 tsp Gram Flour or Rice Flour (if needed) in a tsp of Oil until aromatic and lightly browned. Cool and grind to a paste. Alternately you can also use 1 tbsp sambar powder.
 
Gosthu - Pressure cook ¼ cup of Moong Dal in ½ cup of Water until soft and keep aside. 
Heat a tsp of Oil in a saucepan, splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, saute a finely sliced Onion and a Tomato along with few Curry leaves for about 2 minutes. Add a tbsp of Tamarind Paste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Jaggery, Salt and 2 cups of 
Water and stir until the tamarind paste is completely dissolved in the water. Add 2 cups of cubed mixed Vegetables (eggplant, carrot, potato, chayote squash, peas, etc) and cook till soft. Add the cooked moong dal, ground spice mixture and mix thoroughly. Bring it to a brisk boil and simmer for about 3 minutes. 

If gosthu is runny, dissolve rice flour or gram flour in ¼ cup of water, add to the gosthu, and boil for additional 2 minutes. This will thicken the gravy. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with pongal, upma or even idli and dosa.