Ven Pongal, also known as Khara Pongal, is a simple and easy classic South Indian breakfast recipe made with rice and yellow moong lentils in ghee and a few Indian spices in an Instant Pot and stovetop pressure cooker.
Pongal is a hearty, spicy porridge-style dish that's perfect for starting your day on a healthy note. It's also a great festive recipe and a wholesome one-pot meal.
Idli vada and pongal combo are among the most popular breakfast items you will find in any South Indian restaurant.
Pongal is the South Indian version of moong dal khichdi. Also known as khara pongal (or Khara Huggi) in Karnataka and pesara pappu pongal in Telugu. It's very light on the stomach and very easy to prepare. Pongal food is suitable and nutritious for infants and toddlers. For a healthier variation, try my foxtail millet pongal.
Traditionally, rice and dal are first pressure-cooked, and then ghee tempering is poured over the cooked rice dal mixture and simmered for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
I've shared instructions for making ven pongal using both the Instant Pot and stovetop pressure cooker methods below.
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What is Pongal?
Ven Pongal recipe is a spicy and savory version where rice and moong dal are cooked together and tempered with cumin, pepper, ginger, and ghee. There's also a sweet version of Pongal known as sakkarai pongal (sweet pongal) made with jaggery instead of spices.
Pongal (Festival)
Pongal festival is a multi-day harvest festival of South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, that marks the first day of the sun's return journey to the northern hemisphere, widely known as Makar Sankranti in India, typically celebrated on January 14.
Ingredients
- Yellow Moong Dal - Use skinless split yellow moong dal.
- Rice - I used sona masoori white rice, but you can also use seeraga samba rice, kolam, ponni for this recipe. Avoid using basmati rice, or brown rice for an authentic recipe.
- Black Pepper - Traditionally, whole black peppercorns are used, I have used crushed black pepper since I don't like whole black pepper coming in every bite. Or simply use ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Spices and Herbs - Do not skip any spices & herbs like cumin seeds, hing, ginger, and curry leaves for this recipe. They enhance the flavor and make the dish yummy.
- Ghee - Adding a good quantity of homemade ghee, enhances the taste & aroma of the dish. But if you are a vegan, replace it with oil.
- Edible Camphor - Add a pinch of edible camphor (pacha karpoora) to get a Temple-style Ven Pongal taste. If it's not readily available, skip it.
How to Make Ven Pongal in an Instant Pot
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat 2-3 tablespoons ghee, and add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon black pepper (whole or lightly crushed), and a few cashews. Saute till cashew nuts turn light golden in color.
Then add 2 green chilies (slit lengthwise), 1 teaspoon ginger (finely chopped), 1 stalk of curry leaves, and 1 big pinch of asafoetida (hing). Saute for another few seconds.
Note: If making it for naivedyam, add turmeric to the tempering, as white savory food is not traditionally offered to the gods.
Next, add ½ cup of rinsed split moong dal and saute for 1-2 minutes until the dal turns aromatic.
Then, add rinsed ½ cup of white sona masuri rice along with 4 cups water and salt to taste. Mix everything well.
Note: For a richer and creamier pongal, replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of whole milk while cooking.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 8 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
Note: If the pongal is thick, select saute mode, add ½ cup of hot water, and simmer for 1-2 minutes or till you get your desired consistency.
Instant Pot Pongal is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or tamarind chutney.
Stovetop Pot Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pressure cooker. Add ½ cup rinsed moong dal, Saute well for 1-2 minutes till the dal turns light golden or aromatic. Then, add ½ cup of rinsed sona masuri rice, 4 cups of water, and salt. Mix well.
Note: For a richer and creamier pongal, replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of whole milk while cooking.
Close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame and turn off the gas.
Once the pressure has been released, open the lid and stir the mixture well. The rice and dal mixture should be soft and mushy.
Meanwhile, in a tempering pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee. Once it's hot, add a few cashew nuts. Saute for a minute or till cashew nuts turn light golden.
Then add 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera seeds), and ½ teaspoon black pepper (whole or lightly crushed), and let the cumin seeds & black pepper sizzle.
Next, add 2 green chilies (slight lengthwise), 1 teaspoon ginger (finely chopped), 1 stalk curry leaves, and 1 big pinch of asafetida. Saute for another 30 seconds until curry leaves become crisp.
Add this tempering to the cooked moong dal-rice mixture and simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Note: If the pongal is thick, then add ½-1 cup of hot water and adjust the consistency.
Serve with coconut chutney, sambar, raita, or tamarind chutney.
Serving Suggestions
Serve piping hot pongal dish with coconut chutney or instant pot vegetable sambar on the side.
You can also serve it with papad, raita, and pickle for a quick meal.
Storage Suggestions
- Fridge: Ven Pongal tastes best when made fresh. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: When you are ready to serve, add a few tablespoons of water to thin it and reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing it.
Tips to make the Best Ven Pongal
- Serve Hot: Pongal tastes best when made fresh and eaten hot.
- Rice Type: Traditional Pongal recipe is made with small grain rice such as sona masuri or seeraga samba rice.
- Roast moong dal: Roast moong dal until it turns light golden brown & aromatic. This imparts a nutty flavor to the dish.
- Consistency: Pongal thickens a little on cooling. You can save leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat them in a microwave or on the stovetop (add hot water if required to adjust consistency) just before serving.
Variations
- Lentil to Rice Ratio: The ratio of dal to rice is a personal preference. I have used equal amounts of dal and rice to include more protein in the diet. But you can reduce the dal as well.
- Vegetables: You can also add some vegetables like carrots, peas, and spinach to make this Pongal healthy.
- Vegan: Adding homemade ghee enriches the taste of Pongal, but Vegans can skip ghee/clarified butter and substitute it with any neutral cooking oil.
- Husked Moong Dal: You can also use husked split moong dal, which makes this moong dal khichdi healthier.
- Other Grains: Use the same recipe to make a healthy Pongal recipe with millets, quinoa, rava, and oats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ghee Pongal and Ven Pongal are the same. It's just another name, as it is cooked entirely in ghee.
Yes, It's healthy as it is prepared from rice and lentils and is light on the stomach. However, you can make it more nutritious by replacing rice with millet, quinoa, or oats.
Consistency of the ven pongal and khichdi or khichuṛi prepared in North India is similar, but made with a few variations, like spices used and cooking methods to suit regional taste.
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Ven Pongal Recipe (Khara Pongal)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) (Vegans can replace ghee with oil)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- ½ teaspoon black pepper corn (whole or lightly crushed)
- 2 green chilies slit lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped or grated
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 10-12 cashew nuts optional
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- ½ cup split yellow moong dal
- ½ cup white rice short grain rice preferable (or quinoa, millets)
- 4 cups water + 1 cup extra to adjust consistency
- salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee, and add cumin seeds, black pepper (whole or lightly crushed), and cashews. Saute till cashew nuts turn light golden in color.
- Then add green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and asafetida. Saute for another few seconds.Note: If making it for naivedyam, add a pinch of turmeric to the tempering as white savory food is not traditionally offered to the gods.
- Next, add the rinsed dal and saute for 1-2 minutes until the dal turns aromatic.
- Then add rinsed rice along with water and salt. Mix everything well.Note: For a richer and creamier pongal, replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of whole milk while cooking.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 8 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Note: If the pongal is thick, select saute mode, add 1 cup of hot water, and simmer for 1-2 minutes or till you get your desired consistency.
- Instant Pot Pongal recipe is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or tamarind chutney.
Stovetop Pot Method
- Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the rinsed dal, Saute well for 1-2 minutes till the dal turns light golden or aromatic. Then add the rinsed rice, 4 cups of water, and salt. Mix well.Note: For a richer and creamier pongal, replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of whole milk while cooking.
- Close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame and turn off the gas.
- Once the pressure has been released, open the lid and stir the mixture well. The rice and dal mixture should be soft and mushy.
- Meanwhile, in a tempering pan, add the remaining ghee, once it's hot, add cashew nuts. Saute for a minute or till cashew nuts turn light golden.
- Then add cumin (jeera) seeds, and black pepper (whole or lightly crushed), and let the cumin seeds & black pepper sizzle.
- Next, add the green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and asafetida. Saute for another 30 seconds until curry leaves become crisp.Note: If making it for naivedyam, add a pinch of turmeric to the tempering as white savory food is not traditionally offered to the gods.
- Add this tempering to the cooked moong dal-rice mixture and simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Note: If the pongal is thick, then add ½-1 cup of hot water and adjust the consistency.
- Serve with coconut chutney, sambar, raita, or tamarind chutney.
Video
Notes
Tips to make the Best Pongal
- Serve Hot: Pongal tastes best when made fresh and eaten hot.
- Rice Type: Traditional Pongal recipe is made with small grain rice such as sona masuri or seeraga samba rice.
- Roast moong dal: Roast moong dal until it turns light golden brown & aromatic. This imparts a nutty flavor to the dish.
- Consistency: Pongal thickens a little on cooling. You can save leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat them in a microwave or on the stovetop (add hot water if required to adjust consistency) just before serving.
Variations
- Lentil to Rice Ratio: The ratio of dal to rice is a personal preference. I have used equal amounts of dal and rice to include more protein in the diet. But you can reduce the dal as well.
- Vegetables: You can also add some vegetables like carrots, peas, and spinach to make this Pongal healthy.
- Vegan: Adding ghee enriches the taste of Pongal, but Vegans can skip ghee/clarified butter and substitute it with any neutral cooking oil.
- Husked Moong Dal: You can also use husked split moong dal, which makes this moong dal khichdi more healthy.
- Other Grains: Use the same recipe to make a healthy Pongal recipe with millets, quinoa, rava, and oats.
Nutrition
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Valerie
This looks delicious. I don't have a hot pot or pressure cooker. How long do I cook this on a stove top? I'm guessing 20 to 25 minutes.
Raj
came out well in the instant pot. Thank you so much.
Bhavana Patil
You are very welcome Raj, Thank you so much for sharing your feedback.
Raj
Came out well. Thank you so much. 🙂
Anonymous
nice
Dr.S.Radhakrishna
It works well. I added a bit of turmeric 3/4 of a spoon to give it some colour!
great simple recipe for weekend mornings in England when family wake up late. I am up early(old bad habit) and make it so everyone can have a healthy breakfast! love instant pot!!
bhavana
Thanks for sharing your feedback Dr. S. Radhakrishna 🙂 I am glad you loved it 🙂
Anonymous
easy and came out delicious!
bhavana
thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know
AK
Great recipe and easy to follow. Thank you.
bhavana
Thank you
Ishi
awesome and easy recipe. I tried it with white quinoa and it’s as tasty as like with white rice.
This will be my go to recipe from now on!
Bhavana Patil
Hey Ishi, glad to know the recipe turned out great with Quinoa. I also follow this recipe for making pongal with millets.
Anonymous
Tried it came out awsome
bhavana
Thank you