Ven Pongal Recipe is one of the most important South Indian breakfast. The flavor of fried peppercorns, ginger, chili, curry leaves makes a wonderful moment.
Whenever I think of ven Pongal, 'temple prasadams' will always come to my mind. Prasadam are the divine food served in temples. As a kid, in the Tamil month of margazhi, along with other fellow children, we go to a temple in the morning. We have intangible competition for making 108 valam/suthus faster. Winning or losing is not all a considerable factor. Getting the hot Ven Pongal on our hands after completing our suthus is the most divinizing.
This ven pongal recipe tastes similar to the 'pongal prasadham' served in temples. It is slightly heavy fillling food, so we, our family moved this breakfast menu to our dinner menu.
Searching for other South Indian breakfast recipes? do try this secret for Spongy Idlies and oothappam.
What is Ven Pongal?
This is a savory rice dish’, this ven pongal recipe which is one of the most important breakfast recipes of South India. In South India, especially in the State of Tamil Nadu, this is one of the must dish on their festive occasion which is culturally tied up. Any celebration does start with the making of Pongal, and this shows how important it is in their tradition.
This hot pongal recipe is spicy rice cooked with moong dal(skinless mung bean) and seasoned with peppercorn, ginger, curry leaves.
How does this taste like?
This ven pongal does taste creamy and savory with the intense aroma of pepper, ginger and curry leaves. Looking for hot Pongal recipe, this one is for you and will not disappoint you for sure. If you belong to the State of Tamil Nadu and have tasted the food from the temple, this one tastes similar to temple pongal recipe.
The combination of ingredients does the magic here, the peppercorns, green chili, curry leaves, ginger, and asafoetida brings out unimaginable aroma which tempts to make very often. No doubt why this one tops the South Indian breakfast menu list.
How to make Ven Pongal in Instant Pot?
Making in Instant pot is easy and stress-free.
Setting up- Set Instant Pot to saute mode.
Seasoning-Add cooking oil, peppercorns, cumin seeds, ginger, curry leaves, green chili, asafoetida one by one with 30 seconds interval. That is, allow each of these ingredients to sizzle in the oil for 30 seconds before adding the next one.
Add main ingredients- Now add water, rice, moong dal, and salt. Watch out while adding water, as you are adding to the hot pan.
Cook-Close the lid and seal the valve. Set the Instant Pot on 12 minutes. Yes, cook the rice a little longer than your usual time. As mushy rice is great for ven Pongal recipe.
Preparing to serve- Allow the steam to release naturally. Open the lid and stir gently to combine all the ingredients together.
Serve- Add fried cashew nuts and drizzle ghee(clarified butter) and serve hot.
How to prepare with a Pressure cooker?
You can use the same recipe for ven pongal to make in the pressure cooker. You can follow the same recipe, except the settings for Instant Pot.
You can do all the sauteing work straight into the pressure cooker, you do not need to use your lining pots. Add all the seasoning ingredients like the cooking oil, peppercorns, cumin seeds, green chili, curry leaves and asafoetida.
Then add rice, moong dal, water, and salt. Close the lid and allow it to cook in medium flame for 1 whistle and for two whistles in slow flame. Cooking in slow flame for two whistles does all the wonders, to cook rice and moong dal soft and moist.
Ven Pongal Side dish
Ven pongal recipe's usual side dishes are coconut chutney, sambar, vadai(savory lentil donuts).
If I make this one as a regular breakfast dish, then I generally serve with lemon or mango pickle.
Ven Pongal Recipe
Ingredients
For prepping
- 1 cup rice
- 1/4 cup moong dal / split moong bean
For making
- 3 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 1 green chili
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp salt or as required
- 3 cups water
Instructions
For prepping
- Rinse rice and moong dal until water is clear.
- Gently crush the ginger and set aside.
For making
- Over medium heat, in the pressure cooker pan, add vegetable oil, black pepper, cumin seeds, green chili, asafoetida, curry leaves, and crushed ginger.
- Then add water, salt, rice, and moong dal.
- Close the lid of the cooker and seal the vent.
- Cook in high flame till the first whistle and another 10 minutes in low heat(or cook it according to your regular cooking time of your pressure cooker).
- Wait for 10 minutes until the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the lid and gently mash with a ladle. And serve hot with chutney.
Notes
2. Actually, it is a breakfast recipe, we prefer to have for dinner as well.
Nutrition
Do not forget to check out another recipe for Chutney, Try this Onion Chutney here in PepperBowl.
Serving Suggestions:
Tips and Variations:
1. For the consistency add little more water accordingly to reach desired consistency.
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