Pongal is a common and traditional breakfast in South India. This ven pongal recipe / khara pongal recipe is made with raw rice, moong dal, jeera, pepper and generously topped with ghee. It is usually paired with vada and served with sambar and chutney. This pongal can also be named as ghee pongal and comes to rescue when we don’t have idli batter in hands during busy mornings. As the pongal festival / Makar sankranthi is nearing I thought of sharing this recipe which will be helpful to begginers. Ok let’s go to the recipe.
Khara Pongal Recipe
Ven Pongal Recipe | Khara Pongal Recipe
- Raw rice – 1 cup
- Moong dal – 1/2 cup
- Water – 4 cup
- Salt – As required
- Ginger – 1″ piece
- Green Chilli – 1
- Whole Pepper – 2 tsp
- Jeera – 2.5 tsp
- Hing – 2 pinch
- Curry leaves – 2 sprig
- Cashew nuts – 10 to 12
- Ghee – 2 to 3 tblsp
1. In a pan roast moong dal with 1 tsp of ghee, until golden brown and nice aroma arises. Wash rice and soak dal and rice in water for 30 minutes. This step is optional but it helps in easy cooking.
2. Add salt, pressure cook rice and dal with 4 cups of water for 5 to 6 whistles. Once the pressure releases by itself, mash the rice slightly.
3. Slit green chilli, chop ginger finely and crush half the quantity of jeera and pepper. Heat ghee in a pan add ginger, green chilli, curry leaves and saute for a while. Then add jeera, pepper, hing and give a quick stir, don’t burn it. Finally add cashew and fry till golden brown. Lastly add all the tempered ingredients to the pongal and mix well.
Serve it hot with tiffin sambar and coconut chutney.
Ven Pongal Recipe
1. Roasting moong dal is optional, but it lends nice aroma to the ven pongal recipe.
2. Quantity of moong dal can be altered as per your taste, may be 2 tblsp,1/4 cup or 1/2 cup for 1 cup of rice.
3. If moong dal is added less, pongal will be pure white in colour, I used 1/2 cup so it was slight yellowish.
4. If the pongal is watery after cooking, then pressure cook for another 2 whistles.
5. If the pongal turns dry, then add 1 tblsp of ghee or 2 tblsp of milk.
6. If preferred, add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, which gives yellow colour to the khara pongal recipe.
7. Half the quantity of jeera and pepper can be crushed and used which adds more flavour and spiciness.
8. Do the tempering in low flame, be sure not to burn jeera and ginger. Otherwise the whole pongal taste bitter.
9. Dalda can be used instead of ghee, which gives a hotel taste to the pongal. But due to it’s adverse health effects skip using it.
10. Use good quality ghee and add it generously which gives softness and flavour to the dish.
Khara Pongal Recipe
