Ven Pongal
Veg
Silky, comforting savoury porridge of rice and split moong dal cooked together until they meld into a creamy, soft mass, then tempered in ghee with black pepper, cumin, ginger, cashews, and curry leaves. The quintessential South Indian breakfast — served hot with coconut chutney and sambar across every home, temple, and canteen in Tamil Nadu.
Cuisines
Chettinad
Tamil Brahmin
Kongunadu
Madras
Udupi
Andhra
Best for
Breakfast
Lunch
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | raw rice |
| 1/4 cup | split yellow moong dal |
| 4 cups | water |
| 1 tablespoon | ghee |
| 1 teaspoon | black peppercorns |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | grated ginger |
| 10 pieces | cashew nuts |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 sprig | curry leaves |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the rice and moong dal together and drain.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, add the rice, moong dal, and 4 cups of water.
- 3 Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles until soft and mushy.
- 4 In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and roast the cashew nuts until golden brown. Set aside.
- 5 In the same pan, add another 2 tablespoons of ghee.
- 6 Add black peppercorns, cumin seeds, grated ginger, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
- 7 Sauté for a few seconds until the spices release their aroma.
- 8 Add the cooked rice and dal mixture to the pan.
- 9 Add salt and mix well, allowing the flavors to blend.
- 10 Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and serve hot.
Tips
For a richer taste, you can add a little more ghee before serving.