Ven Pongal- Savoury/ Khara Pongal

Second Pongal post! Ven Pongal aka Khara Pongal. Both sweet Pongal and this ven Pongal are same in the basic ingredients- dal and rice. In this savory Pongal, we temper it with tasty spices like cumin seeds, pepper and also with grated ginger, curry leaves and a good amount of cashews (again!). This dish is also ready in no time. This is best eaten with Ezhukai kootu, another Pongal speciality (next post alert 😉) Or on other days, you can just have it with sambar or even a simple coconut chutney. Ven Pongal holds a special place in the hearts of many South Indians. ‘One ven Pongal and one vada’ and the perfect Sunday breakie of most of the South Indians is ready to savor. This is a family recipe. I learnt this recipe from my co sister Viji akka after marriage. Before marriage, on Pongal days, I did only the eating. The kitchen was not even in the picture 😂. This Pongal (I am talking about the festival), try out both the versions and tell me what you liked best!

Preparation time: 5 minutes| Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Course: Main| Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:

Raw rice- ½ cup

Moong dal- ½ cup

Ghee-2 to 3 tblsp

Curry leaves- a handful

Pepper corns- ½ tsp

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Cashews- 8 to 10(split)

Ginger- 1 inch (grated)

Salt- as needed

 Method:

1.       Dry roast moong dal in a kadai until it turns aromatic.

2.       Add the moong dal to rice and wash it together to remove impurities.

3.       Add rice and dal to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water. Close the lid and pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles and keep in low flame for 5 minutes. Switch off.

4.       After the pressure releases on its own, open the lid. Mash the rice and dal well using a ladle.

5.       Keep the pressure cooker again on stove, in low flame. Add salt and 2 tblsp of ghee. Give it a fine mix. If you feel if it is too thick, you can add ¼ of milk to the rice and mix it well over low flame. Switch off flame.

6.       Heat a tblsp of ghee in a kadai. Add cumin seeds, pepper corns, curry leaves, grated ginger and the cashews. Once it is fried well switch off flame. Add this to the cooked Pongal. Stir it well.

7.       Ven Pongal or kara Pongal is ready to be served.

Notes:

·       Water quantity may differ according to the quality of rice.

·       If the cooked rice and dal looks watery you can keep it on medium flame and stir it until it becomes slightly thick. On the other hand, if it is very thick and dry, add ¼ cup milk to it and stir well until you get the desired consistency.

·       You can also add crushed pepper in place of pepper corns. It will increase the spice level of Pongal when we add the crushed pepper.

Step by step pictures

 dry roast moong dal until aromatic

 wash rice and dal together

add it to a cooker

add 3 cups water and pressure cook

for four whistles and keep in 

low flame for five minutes

 once pressure releases mash the 

rice and dal with a ladle

 add salt and generous amount of ghee

keep on low flame and stir well

switch off.

 heat ghee in a kadai

add cumin seeds, pepper corns,

grated ginger, curry leaves and cashews

fry well

add it to the khara pongal.

savory version of pongal is ready

to be served