Huggi (Pongal)

My father and father-in-law love this dish a lot. A favorite of my hubby too but always needs the tamarind sauce to persuade the kids to eat it. This is served as breakfast in almost all hotels throughout tamilnadu. Raita is served alongwith this in many places but i have always liked this best with the tamarind sauce as served in "KADAMBAMS" in Bangalore. Pongal is an easy option to cook for me when i have less time to spare to prepare a meal as this requires very little time for preparation.

HUGGI (PONGAL):




Ingredients:

1 cup raw rice
1 cup moong dal
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp peppercorns (slightly crushed)
4 green chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
4 cloves garlic crushed (optional)
1 tsp jeera
1 sprig curry leaves

Method to prepare:

1. Wash rice and dal seperately.
2. Heal 1 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker and fry the moong dal till a pleasant aroma emanates.
3. Add rice and mix well. Add turmeric, ginger and salt.
4. Add 2 and 1/2 cups water and cook for 2 whistles.
5. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadai and add jeera. Once it splutters, add garlic (optional), chillies and curry leaves.
6. Add a little water, boil well and mix this with the rice.
7. Roast a little cashews in ghee an add to this for extra taste.

Serve hot with tamarind sauce (hunisehannina gojju). Recipe given below.

Hunisehannina Gojju (Tamarind Sauce)

I always prepare this dish alongwith Pongal. This tangy, spicy sweet dish tastes delightful and enhances the taste of Pongal unfailingly every single time. I always make extra sauce as the kids love eating chips and crispy snacks with this sauce as a dip. This is another recipe that i made a practise to prepare after relishing its combined taste at "Kadambams" in Bangalore.

HUNISEHANNINA GOJJU (TAMARIND SAUCE) FOR PONGAL:





Ingredients:

1/2 cup thick tamarind extract
1/2 cup powdered jaggery
4 slit green chillies
1 tbsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp jeera
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp oil

Method of preparation:

1. Bring together tamarind extract, jaggery, turmeric, ginger and salt.
2. Add 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil.
3. As the mix is coming to a boil, make a tempering of oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, jeera, green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Add this tempering to the tamarind mix, mix well and switch off the flame.

Cool this and serve with Pongal.

Pundi Gatti (Steam Rice dumplings)

I like preparing different dishes for dinner rather than chapathi always. Variety always interests the kids and hubby without fail and makes dinner, the only meal together on weekdays, more enjoyable. Making this dish is easy, preparation however takes time and patience. I soak the rice when i'm free in the afternoons and grind it before going to pick my kids from school.

PUNDI GATTI (STEAM RICE DUMPLINGS):





Ingredients:

For batter:
2 cups raw rice
1/2 cup grated coconut
Salt to taste

For tempering:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana and urad dal mix
4 green chillies roughly minced
1 tsp oil

1. Soak the rice for 3 hours.
2. Gring the rice alongwith coconut to dosa batter consistency (The batter need not be too smooth). Add salt.
3. Heat a kadai, add oil.
4. Brown the dal mix in the oil and add mustard seeds and chillies.
5. Add the batter and keep folding from all sides seeing to that the batter does not stick to the kadai. The batter will get cooked and coming together resembing a dough.
6. Make small balls of this and steam for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with chutney. I made roasted gram dal chutney with this.

Roasted Gram Dal Chutney

I always try out different chutneys mostly to avoid the use of coconut which is a big NO when you wanna watch your weight. Tomato and onion chutney, pudina, tur dal, roasted gram dal are all healthier options. Below mentioned is roasted gram dal chutney which i prepared as an accompaniment to the above mentioned steamed rice dumplings..... It makes a very good combination and is very filling as well.

ROASTED GRAM DAL CHUTNEY:



Ingredients:

1 cup roasted gram dal
4 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger
a small piece of tamarind (wet this with a little water)
salt to taste

for tempering:

1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp urad dal and chana dal mix
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp oil

Method of Preparation:

1. Blend all the ingredients mentioned for the chutney together. Use a little water.
2. Take this chutney in a bowl.
3. Take a little oil in a tempering kadai and heat it.
4. Once the oil is hot, add the urad and chana dal mix and once it browns, switch off the flame.
5. Immediately add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Stir well.
6. Add this to the chutney

Serve with idli, dosa or chapathi. Goes well with chilli bonda and alu bonda as well.
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