3 c. water 1 stick butter 1/3 c. moong dhal 1 tsp. whole black pepper 1 c. rice 20 cashew nuts 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cumin seeds
Add 3 cups of water with moong dhal, rice and salt and cook it on the stove over medium heat. When the mixture becomes soft and the water is gone, take it out of the stove. If you cook it in a pressure cooker it will be cooked in 5 minutes. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the pepper to it and saute. Add the cashew nuts. A minute later add the cumin seeds. As soon as the pepper and cumin seeds start to pop and the cashews turn golden brown, remove the pan from the stove and pour the golden mixture into the cooked rice and moong dhal. Serve it hot. Eat venpongal with Sambar. Serves enough for 4 people.