Ven Pongal

This is one of my all time favourite breakfast recipes. It should be eaten steaming hot with extra ghee drizzled on top.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons raw cashewnuts
1 cup (5 0z) long-grained rice
1/2 cup (3 0z) green gram dal (split mung dal)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 1/2 cups  water
4 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
a piece of fresh ginger(1 inch long), finely chopped
a few curry leaves
salt to taste

Method
   Place cumin seeds and black peppercorn in a mortar and pestle and crush them coarsely . Then Split the cashews in half. Finely chop the ginger and keep it aside.
   Wash both the rice and green gram dal well. Mix together and place in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add ground turmeric and 4 1/2 cups water and bring them to a boil. Continue to boil for 15 minutes.  Add salt to taste. Reduce the heat and cover pan. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until soft. Once cooked, set aside. Do not drain.
   Next, heat ghee in a heavy frying pan .  Add  broken cahews, crushed cumin seed,  peppercorn , asafoetida powder, finely chopped ginger and few curry leaves. Saute for 1 minute. Add this to the rice dal mixture. Mix well.
   Serve hot with coconut chutney or Spicy  Sambar.