This is customarily made as an offering to the Lord, specially in the month of Margazhi.

Steaming hot pongal with Gothsu in winter mornings - what more can you ask for ?

Rice (thin variety is best ) – 1 cup

Moong dhal (roasted to light pink ) - ½ cup

Oil ( oil+ghee tastes delicious ) - 2 tbsp ( more is optional)

Pepper 1tsp & jeera 1 tsp coarsely powdered

Grated ginger - 2 tsp

Hing , cashew chopped , curry leaves, salt

Raw jeera - 1 tsp

Ligtly roast rice also & soak rice & dhal for 30 mts.

If you are using thin variety of rice which takes water in the proportion 1:2 – for rice & dhal take 3 ½ cups of water.

The variety of rice called Jeeraka Samba gives the best taste to pongal.

If you do not use thin variety of rice, increase water suitably.

In the pressure pan take water , add strained rice & dhal , raw jeera , hing , salt & when it starts boiling well , close the cooker , put the weight & lower the gas . Switch off after 10 mts &leave the pressure to drop on its own.

After opnening if you like soft mushy pongal , lightly mash it. ( some prefer grainy texture ).

Heat ghee , temper pepper 1tsp & jeera 1 tsp coarsely powdered , cashew , ginger & curry leaves.

Mix well , serve topped with little ghee.

It is better not to wait for cooker whistle , since rarely , moong dhal can clog the vent & create problem. Instead of fully water you can add little milk with water . The taste is very good. Depending on rice quality increase or decrease water.

RAVA PONGAL;

Bombay rava - 1 cup

Moong dhal - ½ cup (dry roast lightly till aroma comes )

Oil ( oil+ghee tastes delicious ) - 3 tbsp

Pepper 1tsp & jeera 1 tsp coarsely powdered

Grated ginger - 2 tsp

Hing , cashew chopped , curry leaves, salt.

Soak dhal in boiling water for minimum 30 mts.

In a pressure pan boil dhal with 1 cup of water for 1 whistle.

Cool , open & strain the dhal , reserving the strained water.

Boil 2 cups of water (include the strained water ) & keep ready.

Wash the pan , put it on heat again.

Add oil, temper pepper 1tsp & jeera 1 tsp coarsely powdered , cashew, ginger & curry leaves & finally roast the rava to make it hot. (already roasted – refer rava upma).

Now add water , boiled dhal & salt.

Whisk well free of lumps , close the cooker & keep the weight.

Do not wait for whistle, simmer the gas & switch off after 8 mts.

Cool, open & top with little ghee.

Rava Kichdi:

To the above, mixed, boiled vegetables & a pinch of haldi are added.

It is made more soft than pongal.

Instead of boiled vegetables, tomatoes only can be added & it is also called rava bath.

Wheat rawa pongal:

Same as rava pongal . Use 2 ½ 3 cups of water & cook on sim for 10 mts. It is enough if you use 2 tbsp of oil.