Ven Pongal is one of those authentic dishes that originate from Tamilnadu in South India which is deliciously comforting and ridiculously easy to make even for beginners. This recipe for Pongal lists instructions for both Instant pot Pongal and stove top.
Traditionally this is served as a breakfast dish but many people serve this for lunch or dinner too because of its simplicity and nutritional levels. You can make it a wholesome dish by adding some vegetables if you are serving it for a lunch or dinner.
Feel free to use the button at the top of the page to go to the recipe directly or table of contents below to go to any section of the page you want. The recipe card has all the information that is needed to make the recipe perfectly. However, I try to provide a little more information in the post for the readers who are looking for it.
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What is Ven Pongal
Ven pongal is a rice and lentil porridge traditionally made from newly harvested rice and split yellow moong dal with very basic ingredients. The newly harvested rice has higher levels of moisture in it which gives the gooey porridge kind of consistency to this dish.
While the most used name is Ven Pongal, it is called by different names in different parts of South India like Khara Pongal, Katte Pongal, etc..
Pongal is so widely liked for mainly three reasons
- Ease of making with minimal ingredients
- Ease of digestion ( which makes it kid-friendly and perfect when sick )
- Nutritionally well balanced
Ingredients
The recipe for Pongal needs very minimal ingredients which are easily available.
- Rice - Any short-grain Indian variety rice like Sona Masoori rice, Seeraga Samba Rice etc..
- Split yellow moong dal
- Ghee - Clarified butter
- Salt, Whole peppercorns (Crush half of the peppercorns if you prefer)
- Cumin seeds
- Ginger - finely chopped ginger gives an authentic taste, however, when I making it for kids, I either crush ginger into a paste or just make two pieces of the 1-inch ginger piece and crush them with pestle still keeping them intact and use them in this recipe of Pongal. This ensures kids don't get ginger pieces while eating but still the ginger flavor is infused evenly in the dish as you crushed and used it.
- Curry leaves
- Hing ( Asafoetida) - This gives a very nice flavor and aroma to the dish. Skipping this might not give you the authentic taste as this is a very important ingredient.
- Cashew nuts - ghee roasted cashew nuts give a nice crunch to the dish, however, you can skip them if you are allergic to nuts.
- Water - the ratio of water used is very important for the consistency of Pongal. Check the notes in the recipe card for adjusting water to get different consistencies.
- Optional Ingredients: Carrots or any preferred vegetables diced small like Zucchini or peas etc.. and sliced almonds. Now traditionally Vegetables or almonds are not used at all in the Pongal recipe but I prefer to use them to make this a more wholesome dish and since my kids don't like to eat nuts directly 😊. You can skip them if you prefer.
How to Make
How to make Instant pot Pongal (Khara pongal)
- Wash the rice and moong dal well and drain the water completely.
- Turn on the Instant pot on Saute mode and wait until it displays HOT.
- Now dry roast the washed rice and moong dal until they give a nice aroma. Don't fry them until they turn brown. (This step is optional and will add to the flavor of the dish). Now remove the rice and dal into a dry bowl and keep ready.
- Now add ghee to the Instant pot inner pot, and to this add only a few of the given cashew nuts, peppercorns, and curry leaves( just enough to temper in the end). Saute for a minute until cashew nuts turn golden brown and curry leaves are crispy. Now remove the cashews, curry leaves, and peppercorns from the ghee into a small bowl and set them aside to garnish in the end.
- Now to the remaining ghee in an Instant pot, add cumin seeds, the rest of the peppercorns, diced ginger, rest of the cashews, sliced almonds (if using), rest of the curry leaves, and turmeric powder and saute for a minute or two until they release nice aroma and cashews turn golden brown.
- Now, add Hing (asafoetida) and stir well.
- Then add the diced carrots (if using) and saute for a minute.
- Next, add dry roasted rice and moong dal and saute for a minute.
- Then add water, salt and mix everything really well and make sure to deglaze i.e. scraping the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Close the Instant pot lid, turn the vent knob to SEAL, Cancel the Saute mode, Switch on the porridge mode for 20 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the Instant pot turns off, let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release by turning the vent knob to VENT.
- Wait until all the steam is released and the pin is dropped and open the lid.
- Stir everything well and transfer it to a dish. Add the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve it with Coconut or Peanut chutney and Rasam or Sambar or just a pickle.
How to make Ven Pongal (Khara Pongal) in a Stovetop Pressure cooker
Follow the same steps as above in a stovetop pot until you add all the ingredients including water and salt too and then close the pressure cooker lid and cook on medium for 3 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally and open the lid, garnish with the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve hot.
How to make Ven Pongal (Khara Pongal) in a Stovetop Pot
Follow the same steps as above in a stovetop pot until you add all the ingredients including water and salt too and then cook until rice and dal are mushy. Add more water if required while cooking. Once it is done, garnish with the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve hot.
Similar Recipes
- Instant Pot Kheer | Rice Payasam | Indian Rice Pudding
- Air fryer Medhu Vada Bites | Healthy Indian snack recipe for kids
- Tomato pachadi | South Indian Tomato chutney ( We love to serve pongla with this chutney)
- Bagara Rice (Instant pot & stove top)
- Tomato Mint Coconut Rice ( Video )
Pro Tips for a perfect consistency
Follow these tips to achieve a perfect taste and consistency through this recipe of Pongal.
- Dry roast the washed moong dal and rice mixture to get a nice aroma and give a nuttier taste to this dish. It also helps in easy digestion.
- This dish uses very minimal ingredients but all of them are important for getting a proper authentic taste. So do not skip any of the ingredients except for cashew nuts if you are allergic.
- Consistency: The consistency of this dish depends on the amount of water used.
- For restaurant-style Pongal: Use 1:4 ( Rice+moong dal: Water ) in Instant pot in porridge mode. This gives perfect thick yet not too thick texture to the Pongal.
- For thinner consistency : Pongal usually thickens as it cools and if we make it too thick to start with, it might be too difficult to handle it, serve it or eat it. So if you want a slightly thinner consistency Pongal especially when you are serving without sambar or Rasam on the side, then use 1:5 ( Rice+moong dal: Water ) in Instant pot in porridge mode. This gives a thinner porridge which does not form lumps as it cools down and is perfect to serve with just a chutney or pickle with out liquid side dishes like sambar or rasam.
- We like the taste when we use the ratio of rice and dal mentioned in this recipe of Pongal which is 1 cup or rice:⅔ cup of moong dal. However, you can increase the dal up to 1 cup or decrease it up to ⅓ cup based on your taste. Adjust the water accordingly.
Adjusting Spice Levels
Using ginger and peppercorns gives this dish a slight kick but it's not spicy.
If you prefer to increase the spice level, you can do any one or all of the below.
- you can add 1 or two split green chilies
- Increase the peppercorns to your taste
To decrease the spice level simply reduce the amount of peppercorns used and ginger if you prefer.
How to Serve
Ven Pongal is traditionally served with coconut chutney and thinner sambar. In our home, we like to serve it with peanut chuteny or tomato rasam (which is a thin tomato soup usually eaten with rice or as it is) and papad instead of sambar. However, since we often make this dish when we don't have time, we just serve it with any Indian pickle and papad if available without the extra work of making sambar or chutney.
However as mentioned in the tips above, I use 1:5 ( Rice+moong dal: Water ) in Instant pot porridge mode when I am serving without sambar or rasam, to make it easy to handle and eat.
Storage and Reheating
Pongal tastes best when made fresh. So I don't advise freezing it. However, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container and reheat them on a low heat on a stovetop pan using few tablespoons of water or reheat in a stovetop pressure cooker or Instant pot using manual mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Venn Pongal Healthy
Ven Pongal is a healthy dish since it is made with the right balance of rice and lentils and healthy fat like ghee. Ginger, pepper, and cumin used in this dish help in boosting our immune system and aid in easy digestion. You can make this more healthy by adding your choice of vegetables like diced carrots, peas, zucchini etc.
Which Rice is best for this recipe of Pongal?
Pongal is usually made with any easily available locally grown Indian short-grain rice variety like Sona Masoori rice, Seeraga Samba Rice etc..
Basmati Rice is not a very good choice for making Pongal.
Can this recipe for Pongal made Vegan?
Well, you can make this by using any preferred oil or vegan butter to make this Pongal recipe vegan, but ghee is a very important contributor in this dish for the awesome taste. So you may not get the authentic taste when you replace ghee.
Can I skip Hing ( Asafoetida)?
If you really don't like the smell of Asafoetida, then skip it and make it. However, as I mentioned above, every ingredient in this dish contributes to the delicious comforting, and authentic taste of this dish, So I don't like skipping it. You can use gluten-free Hing(Asafoetida) if you prefer.
Can I freeze Pongal?
I don't advise freezing Pongal as it tastes best when made fresh. However, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container.
Try this delicious South Indian recipe for Pongal for a comforting and easy meal and let us know your comments below. Don't forget to rate it and share it.
PrintRecipe
Instant pot Pongal recipe | Khara Pongal | Katte Pongali
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Ven Pongal is an authentic South Indian recipe for rice and lentil porridge that is deliciously comforting and ridiculously easy to make even for beginners. This recipe for Pongal lists instructions for both Instant pot Pongal and stovetop.
Ingredients
- 1 cup short-grain rice (Use any Indian variety short-grain rice like sona masoori or seeraga samba)
- ⅔ cup split moong dal
- 6+⅔cup water (to adjust for different consistencies see notes below the recipe)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee ( clarified butter)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon crushed or minced ginger ( See notes below )
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 sprig of curry leaves or around 10 to 12
- Pinch of asafoetida / Hing ( Use gluten-free asafoetida if you prefer)
- Salt to taste ( I used 2 teaspoons of Pink Himalayan Salt )
- 2 teaspoons Peppercorns ( crush half of the peppercorns if you prefer)
Optional Ingredients
- 1 cup diced carrots or any preferred veggies diced small like Zucchini, peas, etc..
- ¼ cup sliced almonds ( completely optional)
- Pinch of Turmeric
Instructions
How to make Ven Pongal (Khara pongal) in Instant pot
- Wash the rice and moong dal well and drain the water completely.
- Turn on the Instant pot on Saute mode and wait until it displays HOT.
- Now dry roast the washed rice and moong dal until they give a nice aroma. Don't fry them until they turn brown. (This step is optional and will add to the flavor of the dish). Now remove the rice and dal into a dry bowl and keep ready.
- Now add ghee to the Instant pot inner pot, and to this add only a few of the given cashew nuts, peppercorns, and curry leaves( just enough to temper in the end). Saute for a minute until cashew nuts turn golden brown and curry leaves are crispy. Now remove the cashews, curry leaves, and peppercorns from the ghee into a small bowl and set them aside to garnish in the end.
- Now to the remaining ghee in an Instant pot, add cumin seeds, the rest of the peppercorns, diced ginger, rest of the cashews, sliced almonds (if using), rest of the curry leaves, and turmeric powder and saute for a minute or two until they release nice aroma and cashews turn golden brown.
- Now, add Hing (asafoetida) and stir well.
- Then add the diced carrots (if using) and saute for a minute.
- Next, add dry roasted rice and moong dal and saute for a minute.
- Then add water, salt and mix everything really well and make sure to deglaze i.e. scraping the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is sticking.
- Close the Instant pot lid, turn the vent knob to SEAL, Cancel the Saute mode, Switch on the porridge mode for 20 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the Instant pot turns off, let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release by turning the vent knob to VENT.
- Wait until all the steam is released and the pin is dropped and open the lid.
- Stir everything well and transfer it to a dish. Add the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve it with Coconut or Peanut chutney and Rasam or Sambar or just a pickle.
How to make Ven Pongal (Khara Pongal) in a Stovetop Pressure cooker
Follow the same steps as above in a stovetop pot until you add all the ingredients including water and salt too and then close the pressure cooker lid and cook on medium for 3 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally and open the lid, garnish with the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve hot.
How to make Ven Pongal (Khara Pongal) in a Stovetop Pot
Follow the same steps as above in a stovetop pot until you add all the ingredients including water and salt too and then cook until rice and dal are mushy. Add more water if required while cooking. Once it is done, garnish with the tempering that you reserved in a bowl and serve hot.
Notes
- Vegetables and Almonds are not at all used traditionally to make this dish. I just add them to add more nutrition for my family.
- The consistency of this dish depends on the amount of water used. For restaurant-style Pongal: Use 1:4 ( Rice+moong dal: Water ) in Instant pot in porridge mode. This gives perfect thick yet not too thick texture to the Pongal. For thinner consistency: Pongal usually thickens as it cools and if we make it too thick to start with, it might be too difficult to handle it, serve it or eat it. So if you want a slightly thinner consistency Pongal especially when you are serving without sambar or Rasam on the side, then use 1:5 ( Rice+moong dal: Water ) in Instant pot in porridge mode. This gives a thinner porridge that is perfect to serve with just a chutney or pickle without liquid side dishes like sambar or rasam.
- Finely chopped ginger gives an authentic taste, however, when making it for kids, either crush ginger into a paste or just make two pieces of the 1-inch ginger piece and crush them with pestle still keeping them intact and use them in this recipe of Pongal. This ensures kids don't get ginger pieces while eating but still the ginger flavor is infused evenly in the dish as you crushed and used it.
- Adjust the ratio of rice and dal based on your taste. If you do, adjust the water accordingly.
- Please refer to the post above with frequently asked questions and other useful information if you are new to making this dish.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Instant pot / Stove top
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Recipe for Pongal, Ven Pongal, Venn Pongal recipe, Instant pot pongal, Pongal Recipe, Khara Pongal
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