Traditional South Indian Ven PongalVeg
Celebrate the harvest festival with this authentic Ven Pongal recipe! This classic South Indian dish is a comforting, savory ghee-based khichdi made with perfectly cooked rice and split moong dal. Infused with aromatic ginger, spicy green chilies, and a rich tempering of crunchy cashew nuts, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and fresh curry leaves, this creamy one-pot meal is perfect for breakfast or special occasions. Follow this simple guide to recreate this traditional comfort food at home.
Ingredients
1 cup Split Green Gram
1 cup Basmati Rice
4 cups Water
1 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
2 piece Green Chilli (chopped)
as needed Salt
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
35 g Cashew Nuts
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder
1 tsp Asafoetida Powder (Hing)
small Curry Leaves
Instructions
1
In a pan over high heat, toast the split moong dal and rice together. Once the pan is hot, lower the flame and continue toasting until they become fragrant and turn a light golden brown.
2
Transfer the toasted rice and dal into a bowl, add water, and let it soak for at least 20 minutes to help release the starch.
3
Transfer the soaked mixture into a pressure cooker. Add four cups of water, finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, salt to taste, and a touch of turmeric powder. Mix well, cover, and cook for four whistles.
4
Once cooked, allow the pressure cooker to cool down naturally until the pressure has fully subsided before opening the lid.
5
In a separate pan, heat the ghee. Add the whole cashew nuts and fry them on low heat until they are golden brown and crunchy. Remove and set aside some for garnishing.
6
In the same ghee, add cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, asafoetida (hing), and curry leaves. Sauté briefly.
7
Add the cooked rice and lentil mixture into the tempering along with the fried cashews. Mix everything together thoroughly to ensure the flavors are well distributed.
8
Garnish with the reserved cashew nuts and serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
3 servings per recipe
