Ven Pongal & Dhal Chutney

One of the most popular dish for breakfast in India especially in south. Its special because it has right mix of protein and carbos. Pongal given in temple as prasadam is very tasty, so here I tried to reach that taste. Normally Ven Pongal is served with coconut chutney or sambhar. But for a change I present here with dhal chutney. This is also equally good in taste, actually both complement each other.

Ven Pongal

Ingredients :

Raw rice - 1 cup
Moong dal - ½ cup
Ginger - 1 tsp finely chopped
Green chili – 1no
Water – 4cups
Milk – ½ cup
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – few
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Oil – 2 tsp
Salt to taste



Method:

• Heat a pan, add the moong dal and dry roast on a medium flame till the raw smell disappears and take care don’t let burn and keep aside.
• Wash the rice and soak along with moong dhal together in four cups of water for 15 minute.
• Heat oil in a pressure pan and fry the chopped ginger till golden brown and add silted green chilly.
• Now add the soaked rice and dhal with water and milk ½ cup add salt for taste.



• Pressure cooks for 4 to 5 whistles.
• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and add the peppercorns, cumin seeds, cashew nuts and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
• Add this to the Pongal and mix well.

Yummy Ven Pongal is ready to serve hot with Dhal Chutney.

Note:

• Even can crushed the pepper corns and add it to pongal.
• Adding milk to pongal gives rich and creamy taste.
• Don’t avoid adding ginger it give nice flavor for pongal.
• pongal has to be a little watery of runny type to make more delcious.

Dhal Chutney

Ingredients :

Urad dhal – 2tbsp
Channa dhal -1tbsp
Green chili – 3no
Tamarind – 1tsp
Jaggery – 1tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt for taste

Method:

• Take a tsp of oil in a pan and fry all the ingredients except jaggery to a golden brown for a while.
• Now grind with jaggery into a fine paste by adding less water.
• Finally season it with mustard and curry leaves.

Dhal chutney is ready to serve with Ven Pongal.

Note:

• Dhal chutney goes well with paniyaram also.
• For chutney tadka is optional.

Onion Chutney

Onions are my favourite & usually add more in cooking. Onion chutney variations are numerous and each one has its own uniqueness. The Onion Chutney has a perfect balance of sweet, spicy and tangy flavours. I often make this at least twice a month, also a good choice of chutney for travelling purpose. Whenever we buy onion bag from market we prepare this chutney and stock in fridge and use as side dish for many Tiffin varieties especially goes well with dosa, idly, adai, Paniyaram and chapatti.

Ingredients :

Onion - 10
Tomato -1
Red chilli - 6 or 8
Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
Jaggery- 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt for taste

For Seasoning:
Mustard seed – 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Sesame Oil - 2tbsp

Method:

• Cut the onions and tomato roughly. In a mixer add all the ingredients mentioned above together and grind well to make a smooth paste, without adding water.
• In a pan heat oil and add the grounded onion paste to this and fry till onion is translucent for few minutes and switch off the flame.
• Now heat oil for seasoning and add the mustard seeds, let them splutter then add urad dhal and curry leaves.
• Pour over the chutney and serve it.
• After the chutney cool down to room temperature transfer to a bottle and store it in a fridge and can use up to a week.
Enjoy the chutney with your choice of dish. :)

Tips:

• Using sesame oil while tempering gives a nice smell and adds taste to chutney.
• Even you can grind the ingredients to coarse paste also, so while eating you well get a crunchy taste but have to take care for sautéing to leave onions raw smell.
• Instead of adding tomato can use tamarind paste for tangy flavour.