Pongal 2020 recipes : Venn or Khara Pongal: A lightly spiced pulse and rice dish

A harvest festival celebrated in southern India, especially among the Tamil community, Pongal is observed at the start of the month Tai, according to the Tamil solar calendar. Much like Makar Sankranti, Pongal too is dedicated to the Hindu sun god, Surya.

This year, Pongal falls between January 15 and January 18, according to the Gregorian calendar.

Traditionally, the festival is named after Pongal, the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery.

The festival is marked by preparing the pongal sweet dish. It is first offered to the gods and then shared among family members. In some communities, it is also offered to a cow.

Venn or Khara Pongal: A lightly spiced pulse and rice dish

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw white rice

• 1/2 cup split moong dal

• 4 cups water

• 3 tablespoon ghee

• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

• 3 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 8 curry leaves

• 2 tablespoon broken cashew nuts

• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder

• Salt

• Chillies

Method

• Wash and soak rice for half-an-hour and wash the dal.

• Heat pressure cooker and place the washed and drained pulses and rice in it. Heat and dry roast it on medium flame, till the rice turns a bit translucent. Add 2 tablespoons ghee to the rice and dal mixture and stir. Keep it aside for the time.

• Add a teaspoon of cumin and chopped green chili to the dal mix and stir. Add four cups of water and stir the mixture. Salt can be added now. Cook on the pressure cooker for 10 whistles on medium heat.

• Open the lid and stir the mash.

• Take a frying pan and add a tablespoon of ghee into it and heat it. Add the broken cashew nuts and roast until golden.

• Add a teaspoon of cumin, fresh pepper, a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves and saute well. Pour the mixture into the mash and mix well.

• Serve with sambar.