South Indian Food

Ven Pongal

Super satisfying and comforting ven pongal recipe! It’s made with rice and moong dal, cooked till porridge consistency. Then flavored with cumin, black pepper, curry leaves, and ginger.

Pongal is a popular South Indian dish made from rice and lentils. This pongal recipe is the savory version and is a good choice for breakfast. Here is a simple recipe for making Pongal:

Ingredients:

1 cup rice (I have used ponni raw rice but you can also use Seeraga samba rice, Kolam, sona masoori for this recipe)

1/4 cup split yellow moong dal

3 cups water

2 tbsp ghee Adding a good quantity of ghee, enhances the taste & aroma of the dish. But if you are a vegan replace it with oil.

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns Traditionally whole black peppercorns are used, I have used crushed black pepper since I don’t like whole black pepper coming in every bite. Or simply use ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.

1 tsp grated ginger

2 green chilies, finely chopped

2 tbsp cashews, broken

curry leaves

Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and soak the rice and dal together 15 mins and drain.

In a pressure cooker,add the soaked rice, Moong dal, green chillies and salt with 3 cups of water.Cook for 5 whistles and allow to naturally release the pressure.

In a separate pan, heat the ghee.

Add the cumin seeds, peppercorns, red chilies, grated ginger, and curry leaves.

Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour this seasoning over the cooked rice and lentils, and mix well.

Serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Enjoy your Pongal!

TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT VEN PONGAL:

You can lightly crush the peppercorns if you want your Pongal to absorb the flavor well.

The ratio of water is according to your preference. Usually, Pongal has a porridge-like consistency, but if you like a dry version, just reduce the quantity of water.

For the best tasting Ven Pongal, don’t skimp on ghee. If you are vegan, coconut oil is a good option.

Soaking dal and millet makes to cook fast, but it is optional and can allow 1 more whistle extra.

Ginger adds nice flavor to pongal, you can add while cooking dal or while tempering.

Ven Pongal tastes best when had immediately because the porridge thickens quickly (in less than 30 minutes). To bring it back to its original consistency, add water and mix well. The amount of water depends on the quantity of Pongal. For instance, use a couple of tablespoons of water for a small bowl of Pongal.

WHICH RICE IS BEST TO USE FOR VEN PONGAL?

You can use both ponni raw rice and parboiled rice for making this dish. Seeraga Samba rice is also a good alternative when trying to eat healthy.

Notes

You can lightly crush the peppercorns if you want your Pongal to absorb the flavor well.

The ratio of water is according to your preference. Usually, Pongal has a porridge-like consistency, but if you like a dry version, just reduce the quantity of water.

For the best tasting Ven Pongal, don’t skimp on ghee. If you are vegan, coconut oil is a good option.

Ven Pongal tastes best when had immediately because the porridge thickens quickly (in less than 30 minutes). To bring it back to its original consistency, add water and mix well. The amount of water depends on the quantity of Pongal. For instance, use a couple of tablespoons of water for a small bowl of Pongal.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Indian

Servings 2 servings