Godhumai Pongal

 
You need

1. Cracked wheat – 1 cup
2. Mung dal – 1 cup
3. Salt – 1 1/2 tsp

For seasoning

1. Vegetable oil + ghee – 2 tbsp
2. Whole black pepper- 2 tsp
3. Jeera – 1 tsp heaped
4. Cashewnuts – 2tbsp (optional)
5. Ginger – juliennes – 2 tsp
6. Greenchillies – 3 slit lenghtwise
7. Curry leaves – 12-15

To assemble

1. Wash cracked wheat (godhumai ravai) and mung dal together.
2. Pressure cook with three times the volume of water.
3. Break cashews into halves if using
4. Pound together pepper and jeera to a coarse powder
5. Slit green chillies, chop ginger into juliennes,tear the curry leaves roughly.
6. In a  small pan, Heat the oil + ghee, add the cashews first.
7. When they brown up lightly, add other ingredients for seasoning  with pepper powder in the end.
8. Switch off gas and add the seasoning to the cooked pongal, add salt and mix everything well.

9. 

   Godhumai Pongal

   Enjoy hot godhumai pongal with onion raita or sambar or chutney of your choice.

The nutri notes-
This is a typical south Indian version of the previous recipe - Dalia khichdi.This tasted very similar to usual pongal made with rice and mung dal.I hope this recipe helps people who enjoy south indian cuisine to include wheat easily in their diet.

• The nutritional benefits of this recipe are the same as that of the previous recipe.This recipe is ideal for pregnant and lactating mothers, in case of gestational diabetes or anyone who has diabetes.
• The recipe also benefits people who  need to increase intake of soluble fibre such as those with constipation or piles.
• However, please refrain from using wheat based recipes if you have gluten allergy.

Dalia khichdi

We returned tired and hungry after an exciting round of Diwali shopping. With just more than half an hour at hand, I had to rustle up a reviving meal for my family. This is what I made. Quick and easy to put together, no exotic ingredients, and healthy comfort food at it's best! Do try it out and let me know how you liked it.

You need

1. Cracked wheat-1 cup (200 gm)
2. Mung dal-1 cup (200gm)
3. Carrot-2 small, chopped-(1/2 cup)
4. Capsicum-1 medium, chopped (1/4 cup)
5. Potato-1 big, chopped (1/4 cup)
6. Large violet brinjal- 1/2 chopped (1 cup)
7. Tomatoes-3/4 kg
8. Asafoetida powder-a pinch
9. Turmeric powder-3/4 tsp
10. Salt-2 tsp
11. Coriander leaves-3 tbsp chopped

For seasoning

1. Oil + ghee-2 tbsp
2. Jeera-1 tsp
3. Whole black pepper- 1tsp
4. Cloves- 7-8
5. Cinnamon-5-7 small sticks
6. green cardamom-3-4

To assemble

1. Choose ripe red tomatoes, wash well and puree in mixer.You could also blanch them, peel skin and then puree.Retaining the skin or peeling it off is personal choice, I have not seen flavour change with either.
2. Wash all other vegetables, dice into even sized pieces.
3. Wash dalia and mung dal together, add three times the volume of water (that makes it 6 cups of water for this recipe), and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil, ghee mixture in a broad kadai/ saucepan.
5. Add in order given, all the ingredients for seasoning.
6. When jeera crackles, and you get a pleasant aroma of spices, it ts time to add hing powder, turmeric powder.
7. Add chopped vegetables toss well and fry for 3 minutes.
8. Add tomato puree and salt.Allow to simmer for atleast 10 minutes until raw smell of tomatoes are gone.
9. When the pressure has released, add the simmering vegetables to the cooked dalia,  mix thoroughly and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
10. Finally add chopped coriander blend in and serve hot.
11. Serve with any raita / salad and papad.

Notes

• You can fry washed wheat + dal in a tsp of ghee for a nice aroma.
• You can add more vegetables like knol khol, peas, sweet potato, onion.
• You can omit tomatoes entirely if you do not prefer the tang, or mix in juice of 1 lemon at the end.
• You can serve this hot topped with a tsp of ghee to kids and omit for those with calorie restrictions.
• Microwaved masala papad is a good accompaniment too.
• Can add more water after mixing the vegetables and cooked dalia.

Now for  the nutri notes

• This is a great one pot meal - combining cereal, pulse, vegetables and dairy allowance if served with raita.
• Eating a cereal and a pulse in the same meal ensures that the amino acids missing in one is complemented by those in the other. This is great for vegetarians since they derive maximum benefit from plant protein by eating in combination like in this recipe.
• Tomatoes, rich in lycopene take pride of place in this dish. Apart from fibre, vitamin A and vitamin C, that you get in tomatoes, the lycopene in tomatoes also is an anti carcinogenic agent.
• Using cracked wheat ensures that the benefits of bran and germ are derived fully. Hence, a high protein content (12gm/100gm), not to mention high fibre as well (1.2-1.4g/100gm).What would interest everyone is also the high niacin and folate levels in cracked wheat makes it an ideal grain for pregnant women, athletes, teenagers and elderly too.
• Carrots used here add to the beta carotene, you get half your daily allowance of Vitamin A by adding 1/4 cup of chopped carrots per person.

Here are the visuals 

chopped vegetables

frying whole spices

simmering vegetables

Mix cooked dalia with vegetables

Serve with raita