VEN PONGAL

Happy Pongal and Makara Sankranthi to everyone.

Image : source

This year we had a very simple celebration, made ven pongal and coconut chutney and offered payers.
We make pongal in two different style at home, venpongal, and the khara pongal. Ven pongal ( ven- means white in tamil), is served with sambar or chutney or both.
This year I am having major problems with my gadgets, first I lost my pics, now my SD card reader of my laptop broke, have to wait until I get a card reader. So can't upload any pictures. Just thought I would post the recipe so that I don't take any more long breaks......

What we need:
1 cup- Raw rice
1/4 cup moong dal
1 tspn black peppercorn
2 tspn cumin seeds
8-10 curry leaves
2 tablespoon ghee
salt to taste
6 cups of water

How I made it :
Heat a pressure cooker or a thick bottomed pan. Dry roast the moong dal. Wash the roasted moong dal along with the rice 3-4 times. In the same pan / pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee, when hot add peppercorns,cumin seeds, curry leaves and than add the washed rice and dal. Add water and salt to taste. Cook in pressure cooker for 2 whistles or in a open pan till the rice is well cooked. Rice should be mushy, it tastes better.

Once done add 1 tablespoon of ghee and mix well. Serve with chutney or sambar. It's ultimate comfort food.....

Black Chana gravy - karnatakan style

This is again my mom's recipe. This is a spicy gravy with predominant coconut and onion masala. It's a two step process, but worth a try. I like having this with puri.

What you need:
2 cups Kala Chana (chickpeas) - soaked overnite and drained
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Masala 1 :
2 large onions
4 pods garlic
1 inch ginger
3 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
5 -7 strings of cilantro leaves
1 table spoon coriander seeds powder
1 table spoon red chilly powder ( or as per heat intensity)

Masala 2:
1 cup grated fresh coconut
1 big tomato

How its Made:

In a pan add 1 table spoon oil and roast onions, garlic, ginger, cloves and cinnamon till the onion turn dark brown. This gives a nice color to the gravy. Take it off the heat and add coriander, chilly powder and cilantro leaves.Grind to a fine paste with some water. In a pressure cooker heat 1tablespoon oil, add bay leaves and fry for a minute than add the soaked chana. Fry for 2 minutes and add the ground masala paste. Add sufficient water for the chana to cook. Add salt to taste. Close the lid and pressure cook it for 4 whistles.

Meanwhile, grind the grated coconut and tomato to a fine paste. Once the chana is cooked in the first masala add the coconut-tomato paste, mix well. Add water if needed and cook it again for another whistle. Check for the consistency. If too watery than cook it on low heat with the lid off for few more minutes or if its too thick add water and heat it for few minutes.

Serve hot with plain white rice, jeera rice or with puri / roti.

This dish is my entry to 'My legume love Affair-35', hosted by Smitha of Kannada Cuisine.