👩‍🍳 Preparation Steps

1. Roast the Moong Dal

• In a heavy pan, dry roast the moong dal till light golden and aromatic.

• Do not brown too much — this step enhances flavor.

2. Cook the Pongal

• Wash rice and roasted dal together.

• Add them to a pressure cooker with 4½ cups of water and salt.

• Pressure cook for 4–5 whistles, until the rice and dal are soft and mushy.

• Open the cooker, mash lightly for a creamy texture.

  🔸 The consistency should be soft and slightly flowy — it thickens as it cools.

3. Prepare the Tempering

• In a small pan, heat ghee.

• Add cashews and fry until golden; remove and set aside.

• In the same ghee, add pepper, cumin, ginger, green chili, and curry leaves.

• Finally, add hing and sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.

4. Mix and Finish

• Pour the tempering over the cooked rice-dal mixture.

• Add fried cashews on top.

• Mix gently and adjust salt or ghee to taste.

🍽️ To Serve

Serve hot with:

• Coconut Chutney 🥥

• Sambar 🌶️

• Or a simple drizzle of ghee on top for that temple-style flavor.

💡 Chef’s Tips

• Use short-grain raw rice (like ponni or sona masoori) — not basmati.

• For richer taste, use only ghee (no oil).

• If reheating, add a splash of hot water or milk to restore the creamy consistency.

• For temple-style ghee pongal, increase the ghee to 4–5 tbsp.