Ven Pongal / Milagu Pongal and an award

Pongal is a very famous break fast in south India.Its a combination of rice and dal with spices.We used to go to 'saravana bhavan' and order only pongal & vadai.The taste can never be met with any other restaurant according to me.My MIL is very famous for her pongal.I am giving her recipe with some alterations.My dinner was pongal today with sambar.This is the only combination , my hubby likes.But it can be served with chutney also.

Ingredients:
 For pressure cooking:
1.Raw rice                       -                1 cup
2.Moong dal                    -                 1/2 cup
3.Pepper corns                -                  1/4 tsp
4.Cumin seeds                 -                  1/4 tsp
5.Turmeric pwdr             -                  a pinch

For Tempering:
0.Hing                            -                   a pinch
1.Crushed ginger            -                    1/2 inch
2.Crushed Green chillies -                    1
3.Crushed pepper corns   -                     1/2 tsp
4.Crushed cumin seeds   -                      1/2 tsp
5.Curry leaves                -                      1 spring
6.Cilantro

Method:
* dry roast moong dal ,till it turns golden brown .
* Wash and soak it with rice for half an hour.
* Take a pressure cooker,add the soaked rice ,moong dal with pepper corns , cumin seeds and turmeric pwdr.
* Add 4 1/2 cups(for 1 1/2 cups of rice& dal) of water and cook for 3 whistles.
* Take a wide pan and add 2 tbsp of ghee and 1 tbsp of oil.
* When the mixture is hot,add cashews and fry them.
* Now add all the ingredients under 'for tempering' except cilantro.
* When the raw smell of the ginger is gone, dump in the cooked rice and dal mixture.
* Scald well , within 2 to 3 minutes, pongal will start to gather like a halwa.
* Adjust salt to taste.
* Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro.
* Serve hot with chutney or sambar.
Chk my posting for (pongal and idli)  sambar recipe.

Note:
Roasting of moong dal will give ur pongal a wonderful aroma.By cooking rice&dal with cumin seeds and pepper, pongal will have a unique taste.If u dont want to add much ghee, still u want to have its aroma,just take a small cup ,grease it with little ghee,make it as a mould of pongal  and serve it on a plate.It will be very innovative for kids and less ghee for adults.

An award:
Akila of  Learning to Cook  has awarded me this ,lovely blogger award.She is an awsome cook.
chk her blog for wonderful recipes.