One of the easiest, simplest and hearty breakfast is Pongal. It hardly needs you to be around while it hets ready. You can put it in the pressure cooker and disappear for a while and saunter in once its done and add a few finishing touches and voila! Healthy breakfast ready.

This is usually my choice of breakfast when I know we will be going out for lunch but the timing can be variable, like weddings or movies. Pongal keeps us feeling fuller for longer and thereby gives me some bandwidth to organise lunch for the daughter and husband.

This recipe from my mother in law who is a Pongal perfectionist and therefore I never make it while she is here. Why risk?

Serves 3

WHAT WE NEED

Rice                                            1 cup

Split skinless mooṅg dal     1/4 cup

Ginger                                       1″

Pepper                                      8-10

Cumin seeds                          1/2 tsp

Ghee                                        2 tbsp

Cashew nuts, broken         6-8

Water                                      3 1/2 cup

Salt

WHAT TO DO

• Cook the rice and dal in 3 1/2 cups of water in the pressure cooker. The rhumb rule is to use 3/4 to 1 cup more water than what you normally use to cook rice.
• Wait for 3 whistles and then simmer for 5-7 minutes and then turn off the gas.
• Once you are able to open the cooker,(should take around 10-12 minutes) remove the rice and dal, mash well and set aside.
• Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the pepper, cumin seeds and cashew nuts.
• Once the cashew starts turning brown and the pepper and cumin seeds start to spurt, turn off the heat and pour them along with the ghee on to the rice mixture.
• The cashews are optional and can be missed if you don’t like them.
• Grate the ginger and add it to the rice
• Add requisite salt and mix well.
• If the rice is too sticky, heat another teaspoon of ghee and mix with the rice.
• Serve with sambhar and / or chutney
• Enjoy!

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