Ven Pongal also known as Khara Pongal is a classic South Indian breakfast dish made with rice & yellow moong lentils in ghee along with few Indian spices.A hearty spicy porridge style dish to start your day on a healthy note and also perfect festive recipe & one pot healthy meal.
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Pongal, Idli Vada combo is one of the most popular breakfast item you will find in any South Indian restaurant in India.
Pongal is the south indian version of moong dal khichdi.Its very light on stomach and very easy to prepare.It can also be given to infants and toddlers.
Today i am sharing One-Pot Pongal recipe which i have prepared in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.But traditionally rice and dal are first pressure cooked and then ghee tempering is poured over cooked rice dal mixture and simmered for few minutes.
Don’t have an Instant pot? You can easily make this in the normal Indian/stovetop pressure cooker. I have provided the steps below.
What is Pongal(Festival)?
Pongal is a multi-day harvest festival of South India, particularly in the Tamil Nadu that marks the first day of the sun’s return journey to the northern hemisphere, widely known as Makar Sankranti in India and this is typically celebrated on January 14.
What is Ven Pongal?
Ven pongal is a spicy and savory dish where rice and moong dal are cooked and tempered with cumin, pepper, ginger and ghee. There’s also a sweet version of pongal called Sakkarai pongal. It’s made with jaggery instead of spices.
Tips & Variations to Make Ven Pongal
1.Pongal taste best when made fresh and eaten hot.
2.Using small grain rice such as sona masuri or Seeraga Samba rice is preferred to make traditional Pongal.
3.Pongal thickens a little on cooling. You can save leftovers in the refrigerator and re heat in a microwave or on stove top (add water if required to adjust consistency) just before serving.
4.Ratio of dal to rice is a personal preference.I have used equal amounts of dal and rice to include more protein into the diet.But you can reduce the dal as well.
5.You can also add some vegetables like carrots ,peas ,spinach to make this Pongal healthy.
6.Adding ghee enriches the taste of pongal but Vegans can skip ghee/clarified butter and replace with any cooking oil.
7.You can also use husked split moong dal, makes dish more healthy.
8.You can use the same recipe to make millets ,quinoa pongal.Just replace rice with millets or quinoa.
What to Serve with Ven Pongal?
Ven Pongal dish is usually served with some spicy chutney or sambar.You can also serve it with some papad and pickle for a quick meal.
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How to Make Ven Pongal|Khara Pongal in Instant Pot
1.Press SAUTE mode(Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil in to the POT.Note:Tastes better with Ghee
2.Once POT is hot add in the Cumin/Jeera, Black Pepper and Cashewnuts. Saute for 30 secs or till cashew nuts turn light brown in color.
3.Add the chopped green chillies, ginger ,curry leaves and asafoetida. Saute for another 30 secs.
4.Next, add the washed dal and rice. Saute well 1-2 minutes till dal turns light brown or till aromatic.
5.Add water, salt.Mix well.
6.Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
7.Press CANCEL button on Instant Pot.
8.Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 8 minutes.
9.Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE(NPR)(Wait until silver button on lid drops).BE CAREFUL OF THE HOT STEAM.
10.Once the pressure has released, open the lid and mix pongal well.Note: If rice is not mushy then select saute mode and add 1 cup of water and cook for 1-2 minutes or till mixture boils.
11.Pongal is ready, serve with yogurt, raita or tamarind chutney.
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Instant Pot Ven Pongal|Khara Pongal Recipe Card
Ven Pongal also known as Khara Pongal is a classic South Indian breakfast dish made with rice & yellow moong lentils
- measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
- 3/4 cup White Rice short rice grain preferable
- 3/4 cup Yellow Moong Dal
- 4 cups Water +1 cup extra to adjust consistency
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds/Jeera
- 1 tsp Whole Black Pepper/Pepper corns
- 1 pinch Hing (Asafoetida)
- 2-3 Green Chillies
- 1 tsp Finely chopped Ginger
- few Curry leaves
- 8-10 Cashew Nuts
- 2 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter (Vegans can replace ghee with oil)
- Salt – to taste
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Press SAUTE mode(Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil in to the POT.Note:Tastes better with Ghee
-
Once POT is hot add in the Cumin/Jeera, Black Pepper and Cashewnuts. Saute for 30 secs or till cashew nuts turn light brown in color.
-
Add the chopped green chillies, ginger ,curry leaves and asafoetida. Saute for another 30 secs.
-
Next, add the washed dal and rice. Saute well 1-2 minutes till dal turns light brown or till aromatic.
-
Add water, salt.Mix well.
-
Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.
-
Press CANCEL button on Instant Pot.
-
Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 8 minutes.
-
Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE(NPR)(Wait until silver button on lid drops).BE CAREFUL OF THE HOT STEAM.
-
Once the pressure has released, open the lid and mix pongal well.Note: If rice is not mushy then select saute mode and add 1 cup of water and cook for 1-2 minutes or till mixture boils.
-
Pongal is ready, serve with yogurt, raita or tamarind chutney.
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Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pressure cooker and add the washed dal, Saute well 1-2 minutes till dal turns light brown or till aromatic.Then add rice.
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Add 4 cups of water ,mix well.
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Close the lid and put the whistle weight on. Cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame and turn off the gas.
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Once the pressure has released, open the lid and Mix the mixture well.
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Meanwhile in a pan add remaining ghee ,once its hot add Cumin/Jeera,Black Pepper,asafoetida.
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Then add the chopped green chillies, ginger ,curry leaves and cashewnuts.Saute for 30 secs or till aromatic.
-
Add this tempered mixture into the pongal and boil.Note: If rice is not mushy then add 1 cup of water and adjust consistency.
-
Pongal is ready, serve with chutney, sambar, raita or tamarind chutney.
I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
1.Pongal taste best when made fresh and eaten hot.
2.Using small grain rice such as sona masuri or Seeraga Samba rice is preferred to make traditional Pongal.
3.Pongal thickens a little on cooling. You can save leftovers in the refrigerator and re heat in a microwave or on stove top (add water if required to adjust consistency) just before serving.
4.Ratio of dal to rice is a personal preference.I have used equal amounts of dal and rice to include more protein into the diet.But you can reduce the dal as well.
5.You can also add some vegetables like carrots ,peas ,spinach to make this Pongal healthy.
6.Adding ghee enriches the taste of pongal but Vegans can skip ghee/clarified butter and replace with any cooking oil.
7.You can also use husked split moong dal, makes dish more healthy.
8.You can use the same recipe to make millets ,quinoa pongal.Just replace rice with millets or quinoa.
Note:Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Tried it came out awsome
Thank you
Great recipe and easy to follow. Thank you.
Thank you
easy and came out delicious!
thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know