PALAK PONGKAL !!

கீரைப் பொங்கல் !!

Ingredients:

Chopped palak- 3 cups
Raw rice- 1 cup
Tuar dal- 2 tbsp
Green gram- 1/4 cup
Finely chopped onion-1
Finely chopped tomato- 1 1/2 cup
Slit green chillies-4
Finely shredded ginger- 1 Spoon
Ghee- 5 tbsp
Coarsely ground cumin seeds- 1 Sp
Coarsely ground peppercorn- 1 Sp
Asafetida powder- half sp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Tender brinjals [small]-3 [cubed]
Finely chopped coriander- 3 tbsp
Cashew nuts- 10
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Pressure cook the rice and the dals with 6 cups of water.
Heat a big pan and pour 4 tbsp of ghee.
Add the finely chopped onion with the green chillies and the ginger and cook them to golden brown.
Then add the tomato with the turmeric powder and the asafetida powder.
Cook until the tomatoes are mashed and the oil floats on the surface.
Add the brinjals with a little salt and cook until the pieces become tender.
Now add the palak and cook until the keerai is almost cooked but still has its green colour.
Add the coriander and cook for a few seconds.
Now add the cooked rice and mix on slow fire adding enough salt.
In a separate pan add the remaining ghee.
Fry the cashew nuts first and then add the ground powders.
Fry for a second and then pour this on the pongal.
Cook for a few minutes mixing well.
Pour melted ghee on top.
Now the delicious keerai pongal is ready!!