Pongal

When you can stuff yourself with rice and then sleep (!) This recipe approximately serves 3 people, but 2 if you eat like a pig.

Ingredients:1 cup rice (I sometimes use cooked rice from the day before that's leftover, or just combine leftover rice)
1/2 cup moong dal/payatham paruppu
Jeera - 1 1/2 tsps (or to taste)
Whole black peppers 1 tbs
Ginger (sliced)
Green chillies (slit open)
Asafoetida/perungayam/hing (two generous pinches)
Cashew nuts
Gheeeeeeeeee for frying and for the general taste and smell of things


1. Combine the rice and paruppu/dal and wash three times

2. Add 1 1/2 tsps of  oil into the pressure cooker, and fry the jeera, black pepper, ginger and green chillies for about 30s
3. Add the rice and dal and stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pressure cooker
4. Add salt to taste, hing, and water (to the ratio of 1:3 - so approximately 3 1/2 cups of water) - a pinch of turmeric if you like the yellow colour.
5. Cook up to five whistles and let the pressure subside
6. Fry the cashew nuts separately and add it to the cooked rice/dal
7. Combine and gobble!