Rava Pongal with Pongal Gojju

Dry roast a cup of Sooji until light brown and keep aside. Dry roast ¼ cup of Moong Dal in the same pan until golden brown and add 1 cup of Water along with a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a drop of Ghee and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook until cooked.  Strain the dal and reserve the liquid.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan, sauté ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of crushed Peppercorns, ½ “ of minced Ginger, 3 slit Green Chillies, a pinch of Asafoetida and few chopped Curry Leaves.  Measure the reserved water and add more water if necessary to make it 2½ cups of Water. Add to the pan and let it come to a boil. Add the cooked moong dal, Salt to taste and boil further for a minute. Now add the roasted rava to it slowly mixing avoid the formation of lumps.

Optional - In a small pan, heat a tsp of Ghee and saute few broken Cashew nuts, a tbsp of Grated Coconut and fry until golden in color. Add it to the Pongal and garnish with few Coriander Leaves and a tbsp of grated Coconut and serve hot with gojju or coconut chutney or sambar.

Pongal Gojju -                                                                 

Dry roast a tsp of Cumin Seeds and grind along with 2 tbsp of Roasted Gram Dal, a tbsp of Grated Coconut, finely chopped 2-3 Green Chillies and Salt to a coarse powder. Soak an amla sized Tamarind in water and squeeze the pulp and keep it aside.

Heat a tsp of Oil in a small pan; crackle ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 tsp of Chana Dal and a tsp of Urad Dal. Add few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Asafoetida and fry for ½ minute. Add the tamarind pulp with a cup Water and let it come to a boil. Add the ground powder, mix well, add ½ tsp of grated Jaggery, Salt to taste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and boil for a couple of minutes until it is in gravy consistency. Serve it with pongal/rava pongal/oats pongal.