Ven Pongal

Ven Pongal is a South Indian comfort breakfast often served with chutney and sambar. Made with raw rice and split yellow moong dal, it becomes light on the stomach and easy to make.

Ven Pongal is also served as Neiveithiyam to God, similar to sarkarai pongal on auspicious days. It is also one among the foods prepared during the four day long Pongal festival.

Every restaurant in Tamilnadu will definitely have ven pongal in their breakfast menu. And in each house, they make with a small variation but it makes a lot of difference in the outcome.

Variation comes in the rice:dal ratio, some use slightly crushed peppercorns instead of the whole one’s, quantity of ghee used. Venpongal is my dad’s favourite breakfast and my mom makes it often.

We all like to eat it with chutney and sambar ( along with urad dal vada or chana dal vada) but it is also served with brinjal or anyother vegetable gotsu or simply with chutney.

To check the video of making ven pongal, click the link below:

Let’s check the recipe now.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup= 200 ml.

Raw rice- 3/4th cup
Yellow Moong dal- 1/4th cup
Cumin seeds- 3/4th tsp
Black peppercorns- 1 tsp
Ginger- 2 tsp (finely chopped)
Cashewnuts- 10 ( split into half or chopped)
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Asafoedita powder- 1/8th tsp
Ghee- 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp
Salt- as needed.

PROCEDURE:

1. Clean the rice and dal together in a bowl 4 to 5 times. 2. Drain the water out.
1. Now move the rice and dal to a pressure cooker. Add 4 cups of water (use the same cup used to measure rice to measure water). 2. Once the water comes to boil, add asafoedita powder and needed salt. 3. Add 1 tsp of ghee. You can also roast moong dal in ghee first and then add it to rice. 4. Now pressure cook both the rice and dal in low to medium flame for 4 whistles.
1. Meanwhile in a pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee. 2. Add cashewnuts and roast in medium flame till it’s colour starts to change. 3. Then turn the flame to low, add ginger, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, curry leaves. Black peppercorns and curry leaves should crisp. 4. Keep it aside.
1. Once the pressure gets released itself, remove the white and open the pressure cooker. 2. Rice and dal are cooked completely. Mash them a little. 3. Add the tempered ingredients to rice and dal. 4. Keep the flame in low for a minute and mix everything together. You can add 1 tbsp of ghee now if you prefer. 5. Switch off the flame and Ven Pongal is ready.
I like the combination of ven pongal with chutney, sambar and with either urad dal vada or chana dal vada.

TIPS:

Use good quality ghee. You can use 1 more tbsp of ghee if you would prefer.

When you open the pressure cooker, if the consistency of the pongal is thick, add little boiling water and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. On the other hand, if it is watery, heat till it turns little thick.

Remember pongal turns thick after sometime.