Masala Pongal Recipe

Ingredients:
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Green Gram Dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 4 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Cashew Nuts - 10, broken
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, finely grated
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Grind to a Powder
Red Chillies - 3
Dry Coriander - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Cake Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Coconut - 2 tblsp, desiccated

Note: The above ingredients for masala powder is for 1 cup of pongal. Increase or decrease accordingly.

Method:
1. Heat a kadai and dry roast green gram dal until it becomes hot.
2. Add 1 cup of water and allow to cook until it splits.
3. Wash rice and pressure cook with 3 1/2 cups of water, until very soft.
4. Mash rice lightly when it is still hot using a ladle.
5. Mix cooked rice with cooked green gram dal and 1 tblsp of ghee. Mix gently.
6. Add required salt and keep under low flame for few minutes, stirring once or twice in between.
7. Mix in the masala powder as required.
8. Heat remaining ghee, fry cashew nuts and add to pongal.
9. Mix well and serve hot.