Special Khara Pongal

If you have seen my earlier post you all would be knowing that this post would be about khara pongal.Khara Pongal is a speciality from karnataka which is bit different from the regular pongal in a way just that all the spices are added in the pongal so that it does not require any accompaniment to eat along with it.I mentioned the title as special khara pongal as there are few ingredients like dry coconut,coriander leaves,jeera-pepper powder which are added extra to give a khara pongal rich and special taste and makes it best suitable for the festival occasion,I have adapted this recipe partially from a cooking show.Do try out this version of khara pongal and paal payasam and I am sure that you would be happy to have such a comfortable meal combo as I did.

Ingredients:
1 cup sona masuri rice (or any regular rice)
1 cup yellow moong dal
5-6 green chillies,sliced roughly
1/2"ginger,chopped
8-10 curry leaves
3 tbsp chopped coriander
12-15 cashew nuts,chopped
1/4 cup grated dry coconut
1 tsp pepper corns,slightly crushed
1 tsp jeera-pepper powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of hing
3 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil

Method:

• Slightly roast the moong dal until you get a nice aroma of it.Remove it from stove and let it cool down a bit,mix with washed rice in a pressure cooker and add 4 cups of water,a pinch of turmeric,salt and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
• In a heavy bottomed kadai heat 2 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp oil and crackle cumin seeds,and add finely chopped ginger,cashew nuts and green chillies and fry them until they turn slightly brown.
• Add hing,curry leaves,crushed pepper corns to it and fry again.
• Now add grated dry coconut and fry until it turns slightly brown and a nice aroma comes from it.
• Add this fried mixture to the cooked rice and dal mixture and mix well.Add a cup of water roughly(add more if required to get a desired consistency),salt,turmeric powder,chopped coriander and mix well.
• Let it start bubbling then add jeera-pepper powder and mix well.At the end mix in a tbsp of ghee and remove from stove.

Serve it hot with extra ghee on top of it.As this has everything in it it does not require any side accompaniment,if you still want you can have it with coconut chutney or sambar.