Ven Pongal, South Indian Breakfast
by Tarla Dalal
ven pongal recipe | khara pongal | pongal South Indian breakfast recipe | with 23 amazing images.
Ven Pongal is South India’s equivalent of the North Indian khichdi. Cooked rice and moong dal are flavoured with ginger, crushed peppercorns and cumin seeds, and garnished with ghee-roasted cashew nuts and curry leaves.
To make ven pongal, heat a small non-stick pan, add the yellow moong dal and dry roast on a medium flame for 3 minutes. Wash the dry roasted yellow moong dal and rice. Combine the moong dal- rice mixture, asafoetida, ½ tsp of cumin seeds, ginger, salt and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 5 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Add ½ cup of hot water and mix well. Keep aside. Heat the ghee in a small non-stick pan and add the remaining 1 tsp of cumin seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds. Add the cashew nuts, coarsely crushed peppercorns and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds. Add the tempering to the dal-rice mixture and mix well. Serve immediately with ghee.
Khara pongal has a unique flavour and consistency, which are rich yet soothing. It is made as an offering to Gods during pujas, especially in the month of Margazhi or Dhanurmasa, which extends from mid-December to mid-January. Many families follow the practice of making this dish in an earthen pot during the Pongal festival celebrated in South India in mid-January.
Hot and spicy pongal South Indian breakfast recipe dripping with ghee tastes heavenly in the cold winter mornings – just one small serving feels like a feast! Interestingly, this seemingly divine recipe is also a common breakfast item, which you get in all restaurants and even morning trains.
Tips for ven pongal. 1. Pressure cook till the mixture is slightly mushy. 2. If you are serving it after some time, then add a little more water to adjust the consistency, re-heat and serve.
Try other South Indian recipes like Chakkra Pongal or South Indian Stir Fry Rice.
Enjoy ven pongal recipe | khara pongal | pongal South Indian breakfast recipe | with step by step photos.
Ven Pongal, South Indian Breakfast recipe - How to make Ven Pongal, South Indian Breakfast
Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Total Time:
Makes 3 servings
For Ven Pongal
1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
1/2 cup rice (chawal)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp finely chopped ginger (adrak)
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp broken cashew nut (kaju)
1 tsp coarsely crushed peppercorns (kalimirch)
10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
For Serving With Ven Pongal
ghee
For ven pongal
- For ven pongal
- To make {span class="bold1"}ven pongal{/span}, heat a small non-stick pan, add the yellow moong dal and dry roast on a medium flame for 3 minutes.
- Wash the dry roasted yellow moong dal and rice.
- Combine the moong dal- rice mixture, asafoetida, ½ tsp of cumin seeds, ginger, salt and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 5 whistles.
- Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
- Add ½ cup of hot water and mix well. Keep aside.
- Heat the ghee in a small non-stick pan and add the remaining 1 tsp of cumin seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
- Add the cashewnuts, coarsely crushed peppercorns and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
- Add the tempering to the dal-rice mixture and mix well.
- Serve the {span class="bold1"}ven pongal{/span} immediately with ghee.
If you like ven pongal
- If you like ven pongal, then also try other South Indian breakfast recipes like
For ven pongal
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To make ven pongal recipe | khara pongal | pongal South Indian breakfast recipe, we need yellow moong dal. While buying ensure that the dal is free of moisture and debris.
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Next we need rice. This is the normal variety of rice. We do not need Basmati rice for this recipe.
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Heat a small non-stick pan, add the yellow moong dal and dry roast on a medium flame for 3 minutes. The dal is cooked to remove the raw taste and to avoid becoming lumpy after the mixture is cooked. Cool slightly of required.
- Combine this dry roasted dal and rice in a strainer and wash it with enough water.
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Let all the water drain out. This is washed and drained rice and dal mixture.
- Transfer this dal-rice mixture into a pressure cooker.
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Add asafoetida to it.
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Add ½ tsp of cumin seeds.
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Add finely chopped ginger. If you do not like the mouthfeel of chopped ginger, then you can add grated ginger or ginger paste.
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Add salt as per taste.
- Add 3 cups of water for cooking.
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Mix well using a spoon and pressure cook for 5 whistles. The extra number of whistles is because we need over cooked rice for khara pongal. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
- Again add ½ cup of hot water to adjust the consistency of the pongal.
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Mix well and keep aside.
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Next for the tempering of pongal South Indian breakfast recipe, heat the ghee in a small non-stick pan. Ghee adds a flavourful touch to this recipe.
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Add the remaining 1 tsp of cumin seeds.
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Sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
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Add the cashewnuts for a crunch.
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Add some coarsely crushed peppercorns. You can crush the peppercorns in a mortar-pestle (khalbhatta) or a pepper crusher.
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Add a few curry leaves. Like most South Indian recipes, curry leaves are a must in this famous delicacy too.
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Sauté these ingredients on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
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Immediately add this tempering to the dal-rice mixture and mix well.
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Serve ven pongal immediately topped with ghee. If you are serving it after some time, then add little more water to adjust the consistency, re-heat and serve.
| Energy | 212 cal |
| Protein | 5.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Fiber | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 8.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 67.8 mcg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.8 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Folic Acid | 21.8 mcg |
| Calcium | 13.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg |
| Magnesium | 47.4 mg |
| Phosphorus | 55.2 mg |
| Sodium | 5.6 mg |
| Potassium | 182.7 mg |
| Zinc | 0.9 mg |
Amazing recipe and soo Easy to make.
Thi s is a famous southindian dish which also has an accompanient to go with it a tamarind sauce,pls post that recipe too. Thanks
Tirupati Darshan ke liye jab mein aur family gayee the, tab is tarah ka rice prasad me mila tha. Maan hi maan soch tha ki yeh rice ghar me banavoga. Yeh recipe banake dekhi. Pasad kiya sabne. I am nearby to the prasad we ate at Tirupati balaji mandir.
Authentic south indian taste...hv been demanded to make it again n again...everyone just loves it..a gud change from the regular khichdi