Mahadeva's Bhaga Sasthra

47. Maharashtra Pongal

Wash rice and yellow or green lentils and drain the water thoroughly. Mix ghee to this. Boil 5 palam ghee in a 4 padi water holding capacity pot and add mustard and asafoetida. Follow the 22nd seasoning.
Pour pure water to the seasoning. Dissolve saffron in water and add the rice and dal to it. After it is half done, add powdered salt and crushed pepper to the dish. Add cardamom powder also. Fry cloves and grated copra separately in ghee and add to the dish. Pepper can be soaked overnight, dried in a gunny bag and crushed to remove the skin. Then it can be added to the Pongal.
Add cumin seeds along with the cloves and copra. Remove the skin of almonds, slice it and add to the dish. Heat ghee 5 palam in a pan and keep it on slow fire for five minutes. Remove from the fire and add grated coconut. Instead of coconut, de-skinned and sliced cashew nuts can be fried in ghee and added.