Contributed by Shash Yoga for The Slow Press Vol. 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups RICE (any kind that is not parboiled)

• 50g MOONG DHAL

• 160g GHEE

• 1.5 tbsp CUMIN SEEDS

• 1.5 tbsp WHOLE BLACK PEPPER SEEDS

• 3 sprigs CURRY LEAVES (stems removed)

• 600ml WATER

• 50g CASHEW NUTS

• SALT to taste

 

Instructions

1. Soak washed rice for 10 minutes.

 

2. Roast dhal for 5 minutes on low heat until it turns light brown. Set Wash the meat pieces with salt to rinse off any it aside.

 

3. In a pressure cooker on low heat, add 100g of ghee.

 

4. Once the ghee is very hot, add cumin seeds and pepper.

 

5. Next, add curry leaves once the cumin seeds and pepper have stopped making popping sounds.

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6. Once the curry leaves stop splattering, add the rice, water, dhal and salt.

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7. After mixing everything thoroughly, close the lid of the pressure cooker.

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8. Take the cooker of the heat once the whistle goes off, after about 10-15 minutes.

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9. In a small pan, saute the cashew nuts in 50g of ghee.

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10. Add the ghee and cashew nuts into the pongal once hte pressure cooker has released all pressure, after 10-15 minutes.