Ven Pongal Recipe – How to make Khara Pongal

Ven Pongal Recipe | How to make Khara Pongal Stovetop Method using Pressure cooker | How to make South Indian Ven Pongal | Pongal recipes

Pongal is a rice lentil based south indian dish prepared with raw rice, yellow moong, made either sweet or savory! Savory version of Pongal is termed as Ven Pongal / Khara Pongal which includes tempering with black pepper, cumin & ginger! Its often offered as neivedhiyam / prasadam in most Perumal kovil / temples, also prepared during harvest season celebrated as “Pongal Festival” across Southern India #pongal #venpongalrecipe  #kharapongal #hotpongalrecipe

Ven Pongal / Khara Pongal, is also a common breakfast dish in most South Indian homes often served with sambar, chutney and medhu vada! North Indian version of this pongal also goes by the name DAL KHICHDI. 

Ven Pongal is very healthy as includes healthy moong dal / pasi paruppu, also includes tempering with fresh ghee, fresh ginger, black peppercorns, cumin and curry leaves which are basically good for digestion. Its easy to prepare, easy on stomach and can be served anytime of the day! 

Check out the sweet verion of pongal here SAKKARAI PONGAL / SWEET PONGAL 

Instant Pot Sweet Pongal – Sakkarai Pongal Recipe

MILLET SAKKARAI PONGAL ~ Samai Sakkarai Pongal ~ Little Millet Sweet Pongal

Pongal Recipes – Pongal Festival Recipe Collections

What rice to use ? Raw rice is mostly preferred for this dish, ponni raw rice / pachai arisi,  sona masoori  and basmatic works as well. Healthy versions can be made with brown rice, millets, quinoa etc.

VAZHAIPOO VEN PONGAL

BROWN RICE VEN PONGAL

RAVA PONGAL 

What rice dal ratio to use? Preferred rice dal ratio is for 1 cup of rice 1/2 cup of moong dal works perfectly. For a very healthy version you can go up to 3/4 cup of yellow moong dal. I have even tried 1:1 ratio which is well have a more creamy finish to it! 

Print Recipe

Ven Pongal - How to make South Indian Khara Pongal

Ven Pongal / Khara pongal is a savory rice lentil dish that is served for breakfast in South Indian homes. Its preapred with raw rice, yellow moong dal, seasoned with ginger, black peppercorns, cumin & curry leaves!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian, south indian, tamil nadu

Keyword: breakfast, khara pongal, pongal, ven pongal

Servings: 4

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

To cook rice & dal

• 1 cup Raw rice / Pachai arisi ponni arisi
• 1/2 cup Split yellow Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu Split green gram de-husked
• 3 small Green Chili
• 5 cups Water
• 2 tsp Salt or to taste

To temper

• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 2 tablespoon Ghee
• 15 halved Cashews
• 1 tablespoon Ginger minced
• 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 6 each Curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon Ghee optional, add before serving

Instructions

Prep Work

• Lightly dry roast yellow moong dal in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure to roast over low flame, without turning them brown.
  
• Soak rice and dal together pouring enough water for 30 minutes.
  
• Wash, rinse and strain the rice and dal.

Pressure Cook

• Transfer the strained rice and dal to a pressure cooker pan.
  
• Add green chilies, salt and water.
  
• Pressure cook over medium high flame for 3 whistles and switch off!
  

Temper

• Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
  
• Fry the cashews until golden.
  
• Add minced, ginger followed by black peppercorns, cumin seeds and curry leaves. If using compound asafoetida crystals (getti perungayam) add at this stage.
  
• Fry all these until its releases its aroma.

Mix

• Pour this tempering over the hot rice dal mixture.
  
• Min well to combine by mashing.
  
• Add powdered hing / asafoetida at this time and mix well. You may add this while tempering or at this point to make it more flavorful.
  
• Add some more ghee before serving for flavor.
  
• Serve hot with sambar, chutney and vada!