DRUMSTICK LEAVES PONGAL:

There are so many varieties in pongal like milaku pongal, kalyana pongal, rava pongal, aval pongal etc. But, adding keerai varieties like palak, murungaikeerai, and mulaikkeerai to the pongal always enhance the taste tremendously. Especially drumstick leaves happen to give a delicious taste with tamarind and a little spices as side ingredients. Hope every one likes this.

முருங்கைக்கீரை பொங்கல்

Ingredients:

Raw rice- 2 cups
Drumstick leaves- 2 cups
Thuar dal- quarter cup
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- half sp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Black gram- 1 tsp
Asafoetida- half sp
Curry leaves- a few
Tamarind- a small lime size
Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp

Fry the following ingredients to golden brown and then powder them finely:

Red chillies-8, Bengal gram- 1 tbsp, fenugreek seeds- half sp

Procedure:

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for half an hour and then extract its juice.
Pressure cook the rice and the dal with 10 cups of water.
Heat a big pan and pour the gingelly oil.
Add the mustards seeds and when they splutter, add the curry leaves, black gram and the asafoetida.
Fry them for a second and then pour the tamarind extract.
Allow it to boil.
Add the drumstick leaves with salt.
When the extract begins to thicken, reduce the fire to low.
Sprinkle the fried powder and mix well.
Cook for a few seconds.
Add the cooked rice to this mixture with enough salt and the ghee.
Mix well and cook for a few seconds.
The delicious drumstick leaves pongal is ready to serve!!