Khara Pongal or savoury Pongal is another form of moong dal khichdi that we have in the North. In my home, this khichdi was normally consumed when someone was unwell, especially for indigestion. But, there is also something warm, loving and comforting about khichdi redolent with a ghee and cumin tadka for me. I can have it with raita or curd and with pickle or even sometimes piping hot as it is.
The South Indian style Pongal is delicious too. I have had it in the darshinis in Bangalore with raita and some namkeen. At home, I cook it for breakfast. It really is way too simple. Here is the easy recipe:
Pongal recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow Moong Dal
- 1.5 cups rice I use the local Sona Masoori rice
- 4 cups Water
- Salt to taste
- For the seasoning:
- 3 tbsp. ghee/clarified butter
- 1 tsp. jeera cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. coarsely pounded black pepper
- 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped/grated ginger
- Fried cashews for garnish
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Instructions
- Cook the washed dal and rice along with salt and water in a pressure cooker till well cooked.
- Let the pressure release. The pongal must be mushy.
- To serve, heat ghee in a tadka pan, add in the jeera and let it sputter. Add in the ginger, pepper and curry leaves and cook for a minute.
- Now tip in on the Pongal, garnish with cashews and serve piping hot with raita or sambar as you prefer.
Notes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ cup yellow Moong Dal
1.5 cups rice (I use the local Sona Masoori rice)
Water 4 cups
Salt to taste
For the seasoning:
3 tbsp. ghee/clarified butter
1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
1 teaspoon coarsely pounded black pepper
1-2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbsp. finely chopped/grated ginger
Fried cashews for garnish
Recipe:
Cook the washed dal and rice along with salt and water in a Pressure cooker till well cooked. Let the pressure release. The pongal must be mushy. To serve, heat ghee in a tadka pan, add in the jeera and let it sputter. Add in the ginger, pepper and curry leaves and cook for a minute. Now tip in on the Pongal, garnish with cashews and serve piping hot with raita or sambar as you prefer. Always have it piping hot. It is delicious.
P.S: Authentic recipe calls for dry roasting/frying of dal before cooking it as my friend, Zephyr, pointed out.
youngmichelle says
Now you want to destroy my diet, don't you, Rachna? 😀 Theek hai! I was eager to try this anyway. 😉
Rachna says
hehe This is really good for you. Come on you can have it once in a while! 😉
Zephyr says
Wish you a happy Sankranti, Rachna. My mother would make both this one and the sweet one for the festival, both cooked in milk and water. We lightly roast the moong dal for that extra flavour. I add a tbsp of chana dal in the sweet pongal along with the moong dal and roast both the dals too. Incidentally, we call the savoury variety simply as pongal and the sweet variety as chakkara pongal (chakkara means gud/sugar) 🙂 Just finished cooking, pooja and waiting for the kids to come for lunch 🙂
Rachna says
Wish you a very Happy Sankranti too, Zephyr. Yes, my South Indian friends told me that they roast the dal and some of them roast the rice too. 🙂 But I guess I am so used to this easy way out. Never made the sweet pongal simply because no one likes it at home. How lovely it sounds. Wish I could drop by and tuck in the yummy delicacies.
Swati & Sam (The Tales of a Traveler) says
Wish you a very happy Pongal 🙂
http://thetalesofatraveler.com/2016/01/18/10-photos-that-will-inspire-you-to-visit-ladakh-in-winter/
Rachna says
Thanks! Wish you the same.