Moong dal-Rice Khichidi / Pongal with Pakoda Kadhi & Mixed Vegetable Pickle.

For Khichidi/Pongal : Wash 1 cup of basmati tukda rice with ¾ cup of moong dal. Drain & keep ready. 

Heat ¼ cup of ghee in a pressure cooker pan add 1 tsp jeera & ½ tsp rai when they splutter add in curry leaves, ½ tsp crushed pepper, ¼ tsp hing & pinch of haldi. Add in the drained dal-rice & fry for a few minutes. Add 4 cup of water & salt to taste & pressure to to 2-3 whistles. Let cool & then serve hot with curds/kadhi/pickle/sambar etc.

For Pakoda: Soak a mixture of chana dal+moong dal+urad dal all together about ½ cup in water for 2 hrs. Drain & grind coarsely with 1-2 red chillies. Add bit of crushed pepper, salt, hing powder, pinch of cooking soda & mix well. The mixture should come to bind into small balls. Make into small balls & deep fry to golden drain & keep aside.

For Kadhi : Fry 2 tblsp of besan in 1 tsp oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove & cool. Add 1 cup of thick curds & make to a paste. See that there are no lumps. Add in water to bring it to required consistency. Say about 3 cups. The kadhi thicken so don’t worry. Add 2-3 slit green chillies, 1” piece of grated ginger & salt to taste. Bring to a boil by stirring now & then or else it may get burnt. When thick enough. Keep on slow fire.

Prepare the tempering : Heat 1 tblsp ghee/oil add ½ tsp jeera, ½ tsp rai, pinch of methi seeds, when they splutter add some curry leaves, ¼ tsp hing powder & 1 tsp of haldi powder. Pour this on the kadhi & mix well. 

Add in the pakodas to the kadhi give it one final boil & off the gas. Cover & leave it for some time for the kadhi to seep into the pakoda, Say about 15mts, before serving.

Note : You can serve Moong dal-Rice Khichidi / Pongal with plain curds or curd salad and pickle.