Ingredients

• 3/4 cup - raw rice
• 1/4 cup - moong dal
• 1 cup - spinach
• 3.75 cups - water
• 1/2 tsp - cooking oil
• 2 pinches - turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp - salt
• For the seasoning:
• 1 tbsp - ghee
• 2 tsp -jeera
• 1 sprig - curry leaves
• 1 - green chilli, slit lengthwise
• 1/2-inch piece - ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp - peppercorns
• 2 tsp - cashew nut, splits
• 2 pinches - hing ( asafoetida ), optional

How to Make Spinach Pongal - Palak Pongal

• Wash, clean and chop the spinach into fine pieces.
• Wash and clean the dal and rice. Do not soak rice and dal in water.
• Mix the rice, moong dal, chopped spinach, turmeric powder, oil and salt together and cook in a pressure cooker.
• After the 3rd whistle, reduce the heat from high to low and cook again for 5 minutes.
• Let the cooker cool.
• The rice, spinach and dal mixture will be thick and there won't be any trace of water.
• For the seasoning:
• In a pan, heat ghee.
• Add cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds.
• Add slit green chillies, chopped ginger, curry leaves, peppercorns, split cashew nuts and hing to it.
• Fry on low heat for 5 - 8 minutes or till the cashew nut turns golden in color.
• Pour this seasoning over the pongal and mix it well.
• Serve hot with sambar, vada and filter coffee.
• Recipe Courtesy: Niya Prakash's World