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Tag: Pongal festival

  • Ven Pongal

    Ven pongal, also called khara pongal, is a savoury Tamil breakfast made by cooking rice and moong dal together until soft and creamy, then tempering with ghee, black pepper, cumin, ginger, cashews and curry leaves. It is made on the festival of Pongal and offered in temples, but it is equally an everyday comfort breakfast.

    The texture is soft and porridge-like, while the flavour is mild yet aromatic, with the warm heat of black pepper and the richness of ghee. Cashews add crunch, and ginger and curry leaves provide freshness. It is wholesome, easy to digest and deeply satisfying. It is ideal for cold mornings.

    Ven pongal is served with coconut chutney, sambar and medu vada. Temple-style pongal uses generous amounts of ghee, which makes it especially rich. In many homes, pongal is made on weekends when there is time to enjoy a slow breakfast. It is also offered at temples, where it is served on leaves as prasadam.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / moong dal / ghee / black pepper

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw rice
    • 1/2 cup moong dal
    • 5 cups water
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 10 cashews
    • 15 curry leaves
    • A pinch of asafoetida

    Method

    1. Dry roast the moong dal in a pan on low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden.
    2. Wash the rice and dal together and pressure cook with water and salt for 4-5 whistles until very soft.
    3. Mash the rice and dal lightly with a ladle until creamy. Add a little hot water if it is too thick.
    4. Heat ghee in a small pan on medium. Add cashews and fry until golden.
    5. Add pepper, cumin, ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida and cook for 30 seconds.
    6. Pour the tempering over the pongal and mix well. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Roasting the moong dal adds a nutty flavour.
    • Pongal thickens as it cools; add hot water to loosen.
    • Be generous with ghee for temple-style richness.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, sambar and medu vada.

  • Sakkarai Pongal

    Sakkarai pongal, or sweet pongal, is the dish at the centre of the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal. Freshly harvested rice is cooked with moong dal and jaggery in a new clay pot, often outdoors in the sun, and the moment it boils over is celebrated with shouts of pongalo pongal. It is also a common temple offering.

    The flavour is rich and sweet, with the earthy depth of jaggery, the fragrance of cardamom and a hint of edible camphor. Generous amounts of ghee give it a glossy, soft texture, while fried cashews and raisins add crunch and bursts of sweetness. It is festive and rich. Ghee is never measured sparingly here.

    Sakkarai pongal is eaten as a festive dessert or offering. It is best served warm, and a small spoonful of ghee on top makes it even richer. On the festival day, families cook it in a decorated clay pot outdoors, offering it to the sun god before sharing it. Leftovers are eaten cold the next day.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / moong dal / jaggery / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup raw rice
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 2 1/2 cups water
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 3/4 cup (150 g) grated jaggery
    • 1/4 cup water for jaggery
    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 10 cashews
    • 1 tbsp raisins
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • A tiny pinch of edible camphor (pachai karpooram)
    • A pinch of nutmeg

    Method

    1. Dry roast the moong dal on low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Wash with the rice.
    2. Pressure cook the rice and dal with water and milk for 4-5 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.
    3. Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water on low heat, strain to remove impurities, and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thick.
    4. Add the jaggery syrup to the cooked rice and dal and stir on low heat for 5 minutes until combined and thick.
    5. Add 2 tbsp ghee, cardamom, camphor and nutmeg and stir.
    6. Fry the cashews and raisins in the remaining ghee until golden and plump, and pour over the pongal.

    Tips

    • Use a very tiny pinch of edible camphor; too much is overpowering.
    • The pongal thickens on cooling; add warm milk to loosen.
    • Dark jaggery gives a deeper colour and flavour.

    Serve with

    Served warm on its own or alongside ven pongal and vada.