Seeraga samba venpongal / சீரக சம்பா வெண்பொங்கல்

Ven Pongal is one of the regular breakfast items in Tamil Nadu. Normally raw rice (pachai arisi) is used for preparing pongal but here I tried using seeraga samba rice. It was delicious than normal pongal. Try it out and you will really enjoy the new taste.

Ingredients: (serving size 3)

• 1 cup – Seeraga samba rice
• ¾ cup – Moong dhal
• 2 clove – Chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp –Chopped ginger
• 1 no – Green chili
• 1 tsp – Ghee
• 5 cups – Water
• Salt as needed

    Seasoning:

• 2 tbsp – Butter
• 1 tbsp – Oil
• 1 tbsp – Jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1 ¼  tsp – Peppercorns
• 10 nos – Curry leaves
• 10 nos – Cashew nuts
• 1 pinch – Asafetida

    Preparation method:

1. Wash & soak rice and moong dhal for at least ½ hr.
2. Pressure cook rice and moong dhal along with chopped garlic, ginger, green chili(slit open), salt and ghee in 5 cups of water for up to 4 or 5 whistle. Keep it aside.
3. Heat butter & oil in a pan add jeera, peppercorns, curry leaves and a pinch asafetida. Once it splutters add this seasoning along with the fried cashew nuts to the cooked rice & moong dhal mixtures and mix well to blend. Finally add little ghee on the top before serving.
4. Serve hot with sambar, coconut chutney and yummy uluntha vadai.