Huggi Pronounced as "Hoo-ggi" (a kannada word meaning - fun and celebration time) is a very special dish prepared very commonly in Karnataka. A main dish during Sankranthi, harvest festival celebrated every year on January 14th throughout South India. Also celebrated in other parts of India (with different names for the festival).
Huggi is prepared with freshly harvested rice, lentils and other spices grown by local farmers. Its a very special time in all the villages in India.
I made this one pot meal, which is a healthy and filling main course for weeknight dinner. Huggi could also be a great lunch box meal.
Ingredients for Rice/Porridge
2 cups white rice, washed and soaked for 5-10 mins
1/2 cup split mung beans, washed and soaked for 5 mins (optionally replaced by whole mung beans when you don't find the split mung beans)
1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly pounded dry roasted cumin seeds
8-10 whole black peppercorns, (optional)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp hing or asafoetida
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies (optional)
1 tsp finely chopped curry leaves
1 tsp salt (as required, to taste)
4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
Ingredients for seasoning
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
1 tbsp cashew nuts, chopped
a pinch of hing or asafoetida
Method
1. In a rice cooker pot wash and soak the rice for 5-10 minutes.
2. Into the pot add the washed split mung beans, grated coconut, ground black pepper, black peppercorns, turmeric, cumin seeds, hing, grated ginger, chopped green chillies, curry leaves and 2 tbsp ghee.
3. Mix everything thoroughly and cook the rice on the white rice setting on your rice cooker.
4. Once the rice cooker indicates your rice is done. Bring the pot outside and give the rice a good mix, gently.
5. In case you are using a pressure cooker, mix everything and place the pot into the pressure cooker and wait for 5-8 whistles on the cooker (depends of your pressure cooker size/quantity),
6. Once the pressure is down open the pressure cooker and bring the pot outside and gently give the rice a good mix.
7. After the rice is ready. Heat a pan on and add 2 tbsp ghee and once ghee is hot add the cashew nut pieces. Fry until it turns pinkish brown. Now add a pinch of hing.
8. Pour the above seasoning on top of the Huggi / Spicy Split Mung Dal Rice and mix gently. Serve the dish hot with a dollop of ghee and a side dish of sweet and sour gravy (called "Gojju" in Kannada) or with coconut chutney or as desired.