Ven Pongal

Ven pongal is a very popular dish and is liked by majority of south indians very much.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Rice - 1 cup
2) Moong dhal - 1/4 th cup
3) Water - 4 cups
4) Ghee - 2 to 4 tblsp
5) Ginger - 1 tsp(grated)
6) Black pepper - 1 tsp
7) Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
8) Curry leaves - few
9) Cashews - 2 tsp
10) Salt to taste

Fry the rice and moong dhal till the raw smells goes. Pressure cook dhal and rice with water and salt. In a pan, fry ginger, black pepper,cumin seeds,curry leaves, cashews in ghee. Mash the cooked rice and add the fried ingredients to it. Add salt if needed. Garnish with a tablespoon of ghee.

Hot ven pongal is ready. Serve it with coconut chutney or sambar.

Parupu Thuvayal (dhal chutney)

Parupu thuvayal is very simple and tasty dish. It is rich in protein.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Channa dhal - 1/2 cup
2) Thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
3) Red chillies - 2 to 3
4) Peppercorns - 1 tblsp
5) Jeera - 1 tblsp
6) Coconut(grated) - 1 1/2 tblsp
7) Hing powder
8) Salt to taste

Dry roast the above ingredients except for coconut. Cool it and grind it along with coconut and salt (make sure to use very little water while grinding).
Serve the thuvayal with milagu kozhambu or milagu jeeragam rasam.

Milagu Kozhambu(Pepper Sambar)

The milagu kozhambu has many medicinal values. It helps to cure common cold and flu, indigestion. It is very simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Tamarind - 1(small lemon size)
Soak in water and extract the pulp
2) Salt to taste

Dry roast and grind:
1) Udad dhal - 1 1/2 tsp
2) Peppercorns - 1 1/2 tsp
3) Red chillies - 2 to 3
4) Hing powder

For tempering:
1) Mustard - 1 tsp
2) Gingily oil(sesame oil) - 2 tblsp

Roast and grind the above mentioned ingredients and keep it aside.

In a sauce pan, heat oil and add mustard to it,allow it to splutter. Add the tamarind extract and salt. Bring it to a boil. Then, add the ground powder to it. Cook for 5 more minutes.

The sambar is ready. Serve it with hot rice. Parupu thuvayal goes very well with this kozhambu. Enjoy.