Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal (Rice-Lentil “Risotto”)

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 teaspoon jeera or cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns (or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder and 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns)
• 1 inch piece ginger, grated or chopped fine
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder or haldi
• Few cashew nuts, halved or chopped
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Few curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
• Salt to taste

1. Clean, wash and drain the rice and moong dhal together and keep aside.
2. In a pressure pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee and add the cumin seeds.
3. When they start to sizzle, add the green chillies and peppercorns and fry for a few seconds.
4. Add the washed and drained rice and moong mixture, the grated ginger, salt and turmeric powder, mix well on medium and saute for a few minutes; about 2 to 3 minutes till each grain of rice and moong dhal is coated with the oil and ghee.
5. Add about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water, stir, check for salt, close the pressure pan and heat on high. After the first whistle, lower the heat to low and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes and then turn off the heat.
6. Once the pressure releases, remove the lid and mix well.
7. For the seasoning:
8. In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee, add the cashews and saute till golden brown. Keep aside. Heat the pan again, heat another tablespoon of ghee, add the mustard seeds and when they start spluttering, add the curry leaves.
9. Pour the mustard seasoning and the cashews into the cooked pongal, add addiditional ghee if preferred and mix well.
10. Serve hot with coriander chutney and additional ghee (yes, ven pongal or khara pongal is always relished with lots of ghee)
11. The amount of water used can be adjusted to how thick or thin you want the pongal to be. We like it a little thin, so I had additional water to get the consistency I want.
12. Some people avoid the turmeric and the pongal gets a dull grayish look; so I add turmeric and gives it a golden color which we all relish.
13. If you do not like the whole peppercorns, you can crush and add it while cooking the rice or in the tempering.

rice, jeera, green chillies, peppercorns, ginger, ubc, cashew nuts, mustard seeds, curry, oil, ghee, salt

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Ven-Pongal_Khara-Pongal-_Rice-lentil-Risotto_-1752718 (may not work)