Traditional Southern Indian Breakfast - Rava Pongal ( Cream of wheat version)

Rava Pongal Recipe:
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Prep Time:  5-10 mins.
Cook Time:  15-20 mins.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
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Fine Texture Cream of wheat or Rava(aka Sooji) - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups (4 cups work well for a smooth texture. though a little more water may be required if using coarse or medium - texture sooji)
Yellow Moong Dal (lentils) - 1/2 cup...pressure cook the dal for 2 whistles.
Ginger - 1 inch piece cut into tiny slivers
Green chillies - 3 or 4 cut into small pieces
Ghee or clarified butter - 1 to 1.5 tbsps (could substitute with light olive oil or other vegetable oil, if necessary...though the clarified butter is what it gives it a unique taste...so what, if I can feel my arteries clogging up as I write this...it is only a tbsp :))
For seasoning: Cummin seeds(jeera) - 2 tsp, crushed black pepper - 2 tsp, curry leaves - handful, turmeric - a pinch, salt to taste

Method:
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• Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil in a pan.
• In a separate non - stick pan, add the ghee and when it starts to bubble, add all the items for seasoning except salt.
• When the cummin seeds start to crackle, add the cut ginger and green chillies and let it cook for a few minutes.
• Then, add the rava(cream of wheat) to the pan and stir well.
• To this, add the boiling water and salt and keep stirring to make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
• When the rava starts cooking into a soft mass  and the water has fully evaporated(which takes 6 to 8 mins. on a medium high heat), add the pressure - cooked dal and continue to stir until the mixture starts to come away from the sides of the non - stick pan.
• You could garnish with cut tomatoes or cilantro(optional)
• This tastes great with any kind of chutney. In South India, it is however, traditionally served with a split dalia-coconut chutney for which I shall post my recipe here soon.