Pongal Food Recipe
Pongal, a popular South Indian festival, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and is synonymous with delicious and traditional South Indian dishes. One of the most beloved dishes during this festival is Pongal itself, a flavorful and wholesome dish made with rice and lentils.
Ingredients
Pongal Recipe
- 1 cup raw rice
- 1 cup split yellow moong dal (lentils)
- 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- A pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
- 10/12 cashews
- A few curry leaves
- 2-3 green chilies (adjust to taste)
- 1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 4 cups water
Coconut Chutney Recipe
- 1 cup fresh coconut, grated
- 2-3 green chilies (adjust to taste)
- A small piece of ginger
- 1/2 cup roasted chana dal (split gram)
- 1/4 cup curd (yogurt)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
- A few curry leaves
- 1 dry red chili (optional)
Instructions
Pongal
- Start by dry-roasting the moong dal in a pan until it turns golden and releases a nutty aroma. Keep it aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, wash the rice and add the roasted moong dal. Add 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Cook this mixture on medium heat until it's soft and mushy. You can also use a pressure cooker for quicker results.
- In a separate pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds, black pepper, and asafoetida. Sauté until the cumin seeds start to splutter.
- Add cashews, green chilies, and ginger to the pan. Sauté until the cashews turn golden brown.
- Add curry leaves to the pan and give it a quick stir.
- Pour this ghee and spice mixture into the cooked rice and lentil mixture. Mix everything well.
- Adjust the salt and consistency according to your preference. If you like it thinner, add some hot water.
- Serve your delicious Pongal hot, garnished with more ghee and freshly ground black pepper.
Coconut Chutney
- In a blender, add grated coconut, green chilies, ginger, roasted chana dal, curd, and salt.
- Blend everything into a smooth paste. You may need to add a little water to get the desired consistency.
- In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
- Add curry leaves and the dry red chili (if using) to the pan. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Pour this seasoned oil mixture over the coconut chutney and mix well.
- Your Coconut Chutney is ready to be served alongside Pongal.