Ven Pongal recipe is a delicious recipe made with rice and lentil cooked up in a particular proportion and spruced up with aromatic Indian condiments.
To make ven pongal recipe, Take the measured quantity of raw rice and moong dhal in a vessel and pour water in the ratio of 1:3.
Let it soak for a few minutes
Take the `Vengala panai` and keep it in the stove and switch it on. Keep it in high flame.
As it is a thick and heavy vessel, it takes a few minutes to get heated.
Once it is heated just drop in the rice and dhal mixture into the vessel along with the water and keep stirring with a `vengala karandi` {thick heavy bronze ladle}
Adjust the flame to medium mode.
Let it cook for 10- 15 minutes. Keep stirring every now and then in order to prevent the rice from getting scorched.
After a few minutes, {12-15 minutes approximately} you will see that the rice and dhal have been cooked up well.
Take out a little in the `karandi` and squeeze it and check whether it has been cooked up properly.
If it mashes well in your fingers effortlessly, and if the ven pongal is in the appropriate consistency, it indicates complete cooking. Just lower the flame and let it remain in the stove.
In case, if it gets a little hard to press, it indicates that the rice need to be cooked for some more time.
Besides, you just start the preparation for sautéing it.
Place a small frying pan for example, an `iluppa karandi` (which means an exclusive long ladle made of iron which normally Indian moms use for tempering) in another burner of the stove and switch it on.
Tip in two tablespoons of ghee in it and once it is heated add the jeera seeds, pepper corns, grated ginger, green chilli, asafoetida and the curry leaves one by one and keep sautéing until they turn aromatic.
Finally drop in the measured quantity of cashew nuts and fry till golden brown.
You will get a nice colour and aroma now. Switch the burner off.
Meanwhile, just check out the `vengala panai` to see the ven pongal has been cooked up completely.
You will see that the rice and dhal are mashed up together and at this stage you sprinkle over the required salt along with half a tea spoon of coarsely powdered pepper powder and mix well. Just sprinkle a little water to adjust the consistency and stir in. Let it cook for five minutes approximately.
At last, transfer the tempered ingredients to the `Vengala Panai` and do not mix. Just keep it as such and turn off the stove.
It will be so attractive to see the `vengala panai` pongal garnished with spices and nuts on the top smeared with a table spoon of ghee all over, with the nice authentic aroma of the original `South Indian Pongal`, a trademark recipe of Tamil Nadu cuisine.
You can never imagine `Ven Pongal` without being hot. So, serve it hot with the South Indian special `katharikkai gotsu’ ( an apt accompaniment for Ven Pongal) and coconut chutney.
It gives a heavenly taste when combined with a crispy `Medu vada`, again an exclusive delicacy from the South.
Serving Size 1 cup
Servings 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.