Spicy Oats Pongal

1 and 1/2 Cups Steel Cut Oats
3/4 Cup Yellow Split Mung Beans

Combine Oats and Dal in a vessel, wash it in running water and keep the vessel in the pressure cooker (Very Important - Do not directly cook in pressure cooker. Using the vessel inside the cooker is MUST, otherwise, the tiny oats might get stuck to the whistle whole and the cooker might explode.)

1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Green Chilies, Slit
1 Tsp Ginger, Grated
Asafoetida
2 Tsp Salt
6 and 3/4 Cups Water (1:3 ratio)

Add Turmeric Powder, Slit Green Chilies, Grated Ginger, Asafoetida, Salt and Water.

Close the lid and pressure cook it for 20 whistles. Allow it to cool.

Open the cooker and mix it well. If there is extra water, don't drain it, if the pongal is loose, it will be good.

1 Tsp Coconut Oil / Ghee
1 Tsp Black Pepper Corn
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds

1/4 Cup Cashew Nuts

11 Curry Leaves

1 Green Chilies, Slit (Optional, add this only if you are adding Spinach to Pongal)
5 oz TJ Spinach Bag, finely Chopped (Optional)

1/2 Tsp Salt

In a hot pan, heat Oil / Ghee, add Black Pepper and Cumin Seeds, allow cumin Seeds to Splutter.

Add Cashew Nuts to the same pan and saute until the cashews become light brown.

Add Curry Leaves and Saute for few minutes.

Add Slit Green Chilies, Salt and mix.

Add Spinach, (add 1/4 Tsp of Salt, if you are adding Spinach) and saute until the spinach is cooked.

Pour the cooked Pongal into this. Mix well.

Taste Note: Tastes Awesome, we had it with Tomato Sambar.

Yields: 7 Cups