Khara/Savory Pongal

  
  Ingredients - Serves around 4 people         
  
  Rice 1 cup (about 150 grams)
  Moong dal 3/4 cup
  Cashew broken into pieces 10-15
  Pure ghee 4-5 tablespoon
  Fresh coconut 3-4 tablespoon
  Pepper corn 1/2 to 1 tsp (about 10-15 corn)
  Cumin seeds (jeera) 1 tsp
  Ginger grated 1/2 inch
  Salt to taste
  Coriander leaves few
  Turmeric powder 1 pinch

  Procedure

• Wash rice and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan. Add turmeric powder. Add washed rice & fry until it becomes warm. Keep it aside.
• Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan. Add & fry moong dal until you get a little aroma. Don't fry too much. Keep it aside.
• Mix fried rice and dal in a pressure cooker. Add water in 1:3.5 ratio and cook under pressure for 4 to 5 whistles until it becomes soft.
• Heat 2 tsp of ghee. Add pepper corn & fry a little. After it splutters add cumin seeds (jeera) & fry a little. Coarsely powder it in a mixer.
• Fry split cashew in 2 tsp ghee and keep it aside.
• Pour cooked rice and dal to a pan. Add pepper-cumin powder, salt, grated coconut, fried cashew, coriander leaves, grated ginger and left over ghee. Mix it. Heat it by adding a little water if necessary until it is soft.
• Serve with sweet chutney (recipe already published), chutney, raita, etc.