I prepared this for sankranthi. I know i am late in posting this, nowadays my baby’s schedule is changing  so i am getting less time on computer. Here goes the recipe for pongal:

Ingredients:
 2cups rice
1/2 cup split green gram/moong dal
salt to taste
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds and mustard seeds
1″ inch ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
pinch of asafoetida
few sprigs of curry leaves
2 sprigs of green onion chopped and 2 tbsp onion chopped, 3 green chillies slit length wise

Method:

1.Wash and clean rice and lentil well until the water runs clear.

2. Mix them both and add salt and 6 cups of water. Place them in a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

3.Meanwhile in a little ghee, add cumin seeds, green onion and onion, chillies and ginger. Then add peppercorns. In the very end, add curry leaves and asafoetida.
4. Add the tempered  mixture and mix well. Serve hot.

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal

9 oz spinach chopped

1 small onion chopped

2 medium tomatoes chopped

7 green chillies slit length wise

2 cloves of garlic crushed

2 red chillies broken

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

6 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook the dal with spinach and tomato upto one whistle and keep it aside until the pressure is gone.
• Heat the oil.
• Add jeera, mustard seeds and red chillies.
• After they splutter, add onions and green chillies.
• Fry until onion becomes translucent and add garlic.
• Fry for few seconds and add turmeric.
• Add the tampering and salt to the dal.
• Bring it to a boil.
• If the dal is too thick, add 1/3 cup water.
• Enjoy with hot rice in this cold weather.