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.