Ayurvedic Cleanse - Lunch - Pongal with Sautéed Carrots and Greens
Pongal is an Indian recipe and a wonderfully, soothing warm meal for this Ayurvedic cleanse plan. It's favourable for all seasons, but especially in the cooler months.
Ingredients:
⅓ cup/75g white basmati
⅓ cup/65g yellow split moong dal
3 cups water
¾ tsp fine rock salt
2 Tblsp dried shredded coconut
2 Tblsp finely chopped coriander
Voggarane:
2 Tblsp melted ghee
¼ heaped tsp whole black peppercorns
½ tsp heaped cumin seeds
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of asafoetida powder
6 fresh curry leaves
To Serve:
Ghee
Sauteed carrots & greens
Preparation:
In a heavy saucepan, wash dal and rice several times until water runs clear – then drain.
Pour the water into a saucepan and bring to boil on a high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer. (Do not cover the pot, this allows certain impurities or energetic imbalances to be eliminated.) You may need to skim off any foam which accumulates at the top at the beginning of boiling. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes. May need to add more water, depending on the preferred consistency of your Pongal.
While waiting for the rice and dal to cook, roughly grind peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Measure remaining spices for the voggarane and chop the fresh coriander. Set aside.
Peel chop and prepare the carrot and greens for the accompanied dish. (Sauteed Carrots and Greens). Set aside
When the rice and dal have softened sufficiently, turn off heat and stir in salt, dried coconut and fresh coriander. Prepare the voggarane.
Voggarane Recipe:
Heat a small pan/bandalei over medium-heat, then add the ghee and roughly ground peppercorns. Stir once, then allow the ghee to heat and the peppercorns - approximately 1 minute. Turn off the heat and quickly add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric and curry leaves - in this order. Allow to fry for 30 seconds, swishing the pan around, allowing spices to fry evenly.
Pour the voggarane into the rice and dal mixture, mixing well. You may need to swish the pan out with a little hot water to get all the remaining spices. Allow to sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to be absorbed before serving. Divide into bowls and top with Carrot and Greens mixture and drizzle with ghee.
Suggestions:
Soak the dal in the evening for a quick morning preparation.
Find more Ayurvedic Cleanse tips and recipes here.