Katte pongali or Ven pongal is an authentic South Indian recipe. Prepared with rice and moong dal, it is similar to north Indian khichdi. It has a unique flavour and rich consistency. Pongal is also offered to deities as naivedyam across all the temples in south India, then it’s distributed to the devotees as prasadam. It is a traditional practice to cook this recipe with different variations either sweet or savoury for Pongal festival / harvesting festivals, or Sankranti, as thanksgiving to the Sun god for agricultural abundance. Kattu pongal/ Ven pongal is also referred to as khara pongal and is regularly cooked in south Indian households for morning breakfast or any meal sometimes. This is a porridge savoury dish tempered with spices, flavoured with dripping ghee and cashews. At times, it can be garnished with freshly grated coconut and with a dash of asafoetida while tempering the pongal, as it takes it to a next level. To make it tastier and healthier, veggies can also be added. Kattu pongal can be served with sambar or some coconut chutney.
Ingredients:
* Rice : 1 cup
* Moong dal : ½ cup
* Peppercorn : 1 tbsp
* Salt : 1 ½ tsp
* Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
* Green chilies : 2 to 3 slit
* Ginger : 2 tsp finely chopped
* Ghee : 3 tbsp
* Curry leaves : 2 shoots
* Asafoetida : a pinch
* Water : 5 cups
Method:
* In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of rice and ½ a cup of moong dal, wash them 2 to 3 times.
* After washing, add some water and let it soak for a while.
* Take 1 tbsp of peppercorns, and coarsely grind half of it.
* Add soaked rice, and dal to the pressure cooker
* Add 5 cups of water to cook the Pongal soft.
* Add 1 ½ tsp of salt or as needed.
* Add ½ tbsp of coarsely ground pepper, and a tsp of cumin seeds.
* Mix all of it and add 1 tbsp of ghee to enhance the taste of the Pongal.
* Pressure cook till 5 whistles, then let it release the pressure naturally.
* Now temper the Pongal.
* To a pan, add 2 tbsp of ghee and heat it.
* Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 2 to 3 green chillies slit, and let them splutter.
* Add 2 tsp of finely chopped ginger and ½ tbsp of peppercorns.
* Add a handful of cashews and let them fry for a while. It’s optional, but if added, it enhances the taste.
* Add 2 shoots of curry Leaves to the temper.
* Add the cooked rice mixture to the temper, and mix them thoroughly.
* Kattu Pongal is ready, tasty, and delicious.
* Serve hot with a dollop of ghee.