Oats Pongal

There is a big fan club out in Tamil Nadu for this incomparably scrumptious dish, venpongal. Some people reluctantly avoid it only for its high calories; the oats twist makes this dish inviting. Oats pongal is gooier than the regular pongal which makes it even more striking. It is very pertinent baby food by picking out the pepper corns.

Serves:  2

Preparation Time: NA

Cooking Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Oats – 1 cup

2.    Split green gram – ½ cup

3.    Ghee – 2 tbsp

4.    Salt to taste

5.     Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

6.    Pepper corns – 1 tsp

7.     Asafoetida – 1 pinch

Method:

Step 1: Wash the dal and cook it until soft and mushy.

Step 2:  In another vessel cook oats in salted water just as we make porridge until done but not too mushy. Add the cooked dal to this and adjust salt.

Step 3: Heat ghee in a tadka ladle, splutter cumin seeds & pepper corns and pour over the hot pongal.

Step 4: Yes it’s that simple. But for adults the seasoning can be made more elaborate by adding cashew nuts, grated ginger and curry leaves.

Step 5: Serve hot with coconut chutney.