Sunday 30 September 2007

Pongal

Pongal is one of the easiest tiffin item prepared in Tamilnadu. Almost all the restaurants in Tamilnadu will have this listed (Ofcourse next to Idli and Dosa).
Pongal-vada is the most common combo.

Pongal in tamil means 'Boiling and rising'. Venn Pongal refers to Kara pongal and so called Venn pongal due to its color (Venn - White).

I always have the habit of keeping the pepper aside from pongal. So my mom used to grind it and mix with it. But then adding whole pepper renders a different taste compared to pepper powder.

It is best done using pressure cooker (easy and less time consuming), but be careful while using pressure cooker. I had a bad experience with it...I have a very small cooker which I use only for cooking dhal. I cook dhal directly without using any vessel. Once I added more dhal and water (forgot to add oil), the dhal got stuck in the steam nozzle and the boiled dhal started pouring out through the valve (just like a fountain). I turned off the stove and just ran out of the kitchen.
It was pouring out for 5 mins (spoiled my cooker hood) and then stopped. Luckily nothing serious. Cleaning the kitchen took whole of my time and we opted for 'Take away' that day.

And I happened to read safety tips about using pressure cooker in Asha's Foodies Hope on the same day. What a coincidence !

Do read the Safety tips posted by Jyothsna's Curry bazaar when you get time.
Thanks Asha and Jyothsna.
Always use a vessel with a lid while using Pressure cooker.

I was not comfortable to touch my cooker for next two days, that is the reason for not having used cooker while preparing Pongal (in this post).
I used Basmati rice instead of the usual raw rice just to check how it tastes. It did taste well.


Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong Dhal - 1 cup
Water 6 - Cups
Ginger - 1 Inch
Black pepper - 2 Tsps
Cashew nuts 10 - 15
Curry leaves - Few

Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Ghee - 4 Tsps
Salt - As required


Method:
  1. Wash rice and moong dhal.Drain the water.
  2. Heat 2 Tsps of Ghee in a pan.Fry the rice and moong dhal .
  3. Add water and salt. Allow it to cook. You can check the consistency inbetween. (You could alternatively use cooker to cook - leave 4 whistles)
  4. Chop ginger into small pieces.
  5. Once the rice and dhal gets cooked, heat 2 Tsps of Ghee, fry peppers, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
  6. Add this to the cooked rice and dhal and mix well.
  7. Pongal is ready. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

This is my entry for RCI-Tamil hosted by Viji


I am sending this a week after the deadline...hope she accepts it..

25 comments:

TBC said...

Pongal looks good. I had no idea that that was what pongal meant!

Laavanya said...

I love pongal too and my mom coarsely grinds the pepper as well. Thanks for posting a hot favorite. Cookers can be scary sometimes but definitely are time-savers.

Roopa said...

kara pongal one of the best comfort food for me! love it and its one of the quickest with dhall and rice :)

SMN said...

hey Thanks so much for droopin at my blog and adding my blog ot ur list.. hey i was thinking of doing pongal.. and saw ur recipe i will try this way can u tell me how to do the sweet version..

Viji said...

Almost every one has the same experience with the cooker SeeC, even the experienced ones :) Ven pongal in vegala panai is tastier than anything. Due to time constraint we are using pressure cooker now a days. Nice post. Viji

J said...

I've yet to try making pongal at home. I've always had it as prasadam only. Thanks dear for mentioning the safety tips. And take care of your cooker!:)

sra said...

Sometimes my cooker foams at the nozzle even when there's just a little water - they can be quite whimsical.

Raaga said...

monday morning breakfast at my parents' place!! And I had to eat toast.

Latha Narasimhan said...

Oh ! pongal tastes heavenly! such a simple preparation yet so tasty! My aunt made a yummy gothsu for this!
I am totally thrilled to know that your grandparents are from nagai!:))
Trying to use the google reader as you suggested dear!:)

FH said...

Looks so yum!! You could send this to Viji for RCI. I made sweet Pongal too, great recipe girl:)

Sia said...

i have seen many colourful fountains oozing out from pressure cooker during initial days of my culinary adventure:) not any more...
pongal rocks!!! always loved it with dollop of curds... u can send this for this month's RCI seec, viji is hosting it

zlamushka said...

Very interesting breakfast dish, I luv ;-)

Richa said...

such a comfort food :)
i've seen that moong dal always oozes out, not so much for toor, in my exp!

Sharmi said...

pongal sapitu romba nal achu. I rarely like pongal. only at hotels like annapoorna I used to like them.
your prep looks nice.

Swaruchy said...

I absolutely love Pongal....Looks great dear :-)))

USHA said...

Hi Seec,
Tasty pongal...pongal is a recipe prepared in our house when all are on leave...or weekend....so it takes to me to some happy mood..when i prepare or have it...Thanks for sharing.

Rachel said...

when i eat pongal at restaurants, I always wondered how it is cooked..since my mom or my relatives are unfamiliar on how to cook it at home..i was in a fix...
tried your reccipe..served it hot...and it tasted yumm...

Thanks!!!

Richa said...

on a break seec??

Chef Jeena said...

I've never tried pongal but your recipe sure looks delicious. :)

swapna susarla said...

I am a big fan of pongal.the plate looks absolutely delicious !!!

Sagari said...

pongal looks delecious just rocks if u had it with chips

Latha Narasimhan said...

Hope you are fine! looks like you are busy with some work!:)) I prepared your amla pickle twice!:)

SeeC said...

Thanks TBC.

Thanks Laavanya. You are very true.

Roopa, very right, quickest and easiest one.

SMN, Its my pleasure.
Do try it and let me know.
I will definitely post the sweet version soon.

Thanks Viji.
Even now, my mom used to make it using vengala paanai only.
As you said, due to time constraint we cant' go for it.

Thanks Jyo.

Sra, I experience the same thing most of the times

Raaga, you could it prepare it as well.

Thanks so much Latha.
Nice to know that you are trying out google reader.
Yeah Pongal goes well with gothsu.

Thanks Asha. I guess am late for RCI...let me give a try.

Thanks Sia.
I still see such fountains :)

Thanks Zlam.

Thanks Richa.
Even Toor does oozes out...
But more chances with Moong

Thanks Sharmi. Give it a try at home, you will definitely like it (often)

Thanks Sirisha.

Thanks Usha,
So i have taken you to a happy mood...Good.


Thanks for stopping by Rachel.
Very happy to know that you tried it and you liked it.

Hi Richa,
Yeah...little bit held up with other stuffs.
So nice of you to check up:)

Thanks Jeena,
You may want to try this out:)

Thanks Swapna

Thanks for stopping by Sagari.

So sweet of you Latha.
Yeah you are right...busy with other stuffs.
Nice to know that you prepared the pickle.
I guess you liked it.

Latha Narasimhan said...

I am fine SeeC! I am busy as my appa is here!I may not find much time to blog for 3 months! take care! Hugs dear! :)

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