Ven Pongal with Eggplant Gotsu

  

   Ven Pongal is a rice porridge breakfast dish in many South Indian houses and served as a prasadam in most of the temples in South India. Mainly offered  to God in month of Margazhi ( Tamil month btween December mid to January mid).  Taste heavenly with Eggplant Gotsu. Here goes both the recipes.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - A pinch
Water - 3 1/2 cups ~ 4 cups
Salt - To Taste

For Crushing:

Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
Green chili - 1

For Seasoning:

Oil + Ghee = 3 tbsp ~ 4 tbsp(2:1)
Black pepper corns ( crushed or whole) = 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida  - 1/4 tsp
Broken Cashew - As required
Curry leaves - As required.

Method:

• Wash Rice and Dhal & crush Ginger and Chilies.
• Pressure cook Rice, Dhal, Turmeric powder, crushed Chilies & Ginger along with Salt with 4 cups of water in medium heat for 4whistle.
• When pressure drops in the cooker, remove the lid.
• Heat a kadai or skillet with oil and ghee, roast cashew & keep it aside.
• In the same oil, add seasoning ingredients as listed, let it splutter.
• Add seasoning and cashew to pongal.
• Mix well to mash the rice and dhal to get a creamy texture. 
• If need add 1/2 cup of hot water. Adjust salt to taste.

 Note:  Water amount which I have given will get you pongal as shown in picture here. If you want grainy pongal then reduce water amount to 31/2 cups.  For long grain rice consume only 3 1/2 cups water to get creamy texture as shown in picture here. You can avoid crushed ginger & chillies. Shredded ginger can be used along with seasoning instead of cooking with rice & dhal mixture. Crushed pepper corns & cumin seeds are used for spicy pongal... Depend upon the age of rice, it may consume less or more water.

Brinjal/ Eggplant Gotsu

          Gotsu & Ven pongal are made for each other recipes, Will have its appearance in most of  South Indian wedding menus.   Eggplant cooked with tomatoes in a tangy tamarind sauce along with few spices  makes a delicious Gotsu..  Goes will with Idly & Dosai also..

Ingredients:
Medium size egg plant - 4 ~ 5( chopped)
Moong dhal - 3 tbsp
Onions - 1 (big- chopped)
Tomatoes - 3 (chopped)
Green chilies - 2 or to taste
Curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1
Salt - To taste
Cilantro - As required

For Seasoning:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Red chilies - 1
Garlic - 2 pods (crushed)
Curry Leaves - As required



Method:

• In a pressure pan  add finely chopped Eggplant, Onions, Tomatoes, Green chilies, Curry powder, Turmeric powder, minced cilantro, moong dhal with 1 cup of water & pressure cook it for 2 ~ 3 whistle.
• After 10 minutes, Open the pan & drain the water completely from the cooked mixture and keep it aside.
• Using hand blender or potato masher, mash the pulp.  Now pour drained water to this pulp & mix it.
• Add & adjust salt to taste.
• Season as given & add to gotsu.
• Serve hot with pongal.

Note: Curry powder is optional, you can avoid it by adding extra green chilies.  1tsp of  Tamarind juice can be used if tomato is not sore. Small eggplant will be good for this gotsu. If gotsu is watery then boil till it reaches correct consistency. I love to add curry powder & moong dhal in my gotsu it will stands for it taste.

Sending this to Any one can cook  & Signature Recipes