I love the taste of Ven Pongal in Tamilnadu style Hotels.It is thick,soft and is loaded with lots of ghee and simple flavours.It is usually served with Coconut chutney or thick Vegetable Sambar in Hotels and I just love the combo.My mom usually prepares a different kind of Tamarind stew to pair with pongal which we call it as
Pongal Gojju,I will share the recipe some time soon.
Though Pongal is a common south Indian breakfast,the preparation process differs slightly from state to state.In Tamilnadu pongal is pale white in color with yellow specs of moong dal and is very thick,soft and mushy where as in Karnataka the pongal is bit spicy and slightly runny and is usually yellow in color. Pongal is similar to North Indian Khichdi when it comes to ingredients but the taste,texture and look is completely different.
Ven Pongal | Ghee Pongal | Katte Pongal Recipe:
Serves 2
Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Total time: 30 mins
Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Breakfast
Ingredients:
1 cup Raw Rice(Sona masuri or equivalent)
1/3 cup Moong dal
1/2 cup,Milk(optional)
Salt to taste
1-2 tbsp Ghee,for serving
to temper:
2-3 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp Pepper corns
10-12 Cashewnuts,halved
1 tbsp Ginger,finely chopped
a sprig of Curry leaves
a pinch of Asafoetida
Method:
- Wash the rice and lentils together and add 4 cups of water and pressure cook it directly in a small pressure cooker for 3 whistles and reduce the flame and cook for another 7-8 mins. If you want to cook it directly in a vessel,add washed moong dal to 5 cups of boiling water and cook for 5 mins and then add washed rice and cook it together for another 15-20 mins until it is cooked.
- Once the pressure drops slightly mash the rice-dal mixture.If the cooked rice-dal mixture is very thick add 1/2 cup milk and mix nicely and turn on the stove until it comes to a boil.
- Heat ghee in a tempering pan and add pepper corns, finely chopped ginger and fry for a minute and then add cashewnuts and fry until they turn slightly brown in color and turn off the stove.Add curry leaves,cumin seeds and asafoetida and splutter them.
- Add the tempering to the hot pongal and mix well and cover it immediately and let it sit for 5 mins.
Serve it hot with Coconut Chutney/Sambar/Pongal Gojju.Add an extra dollop of ghee on pongal while serving for extra taste.
Notes:
- I prefer slightly mushy but thick consistency of Pongal.Hence I have not added much milk to it.
- Pongal begins to thicken as it sits,it is best to consume immediately.If not you can add hot milk to the pongal and mix and serve.
- You can add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder if you like your pongal yellow in color.
- Add turmeric powder and 2-3 slit green chillies while tempering to turn this to Khara Pongal and also make it slightly runny which is typical Karnataka style Khara Pongal.You can garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves.
