Instant pot Pongal

Ven Pongal Recipe is one of the most important South Indian breakfast. This Instant pot Pongal recipe is a small effort to make with the comfort of an Instant pot.

The flavor of fried peppercorns, ginger, chili, curry leaves makes a wonderful moment, even made with the modern innovation, the Instant pot.

This Instant pot Pongal recipe tastes similar to the 'pongal prasadham' served in temples. It is a filling food, so we, our family moved this breakfast menu to our dinner menu.

What is Instant pot Pongal?

Pongal is a South Indian dish made in sweet or savory version. Today we are looking into the savory version, which is called as ven pongal or khara pongal.

Instant pot is the modern kitchen gadget to cook effortlessly. Instant pot Pongal is the popular South Indian dish cooked in the Instant pot.

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 Instant pot 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 Instant Pot pongal?

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 the 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 in 12 minutes. Yes, cook the rice a little longer than your usual time. As mushy rice is great for the 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 Instant pot Pongal recipe 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.

Best to serve with

This Instant pot Pongal is best to serve with coconut chutney, Udipi sambar, vada(savory lentil donuts).

However, if I make this one as a regular breakfast dish, then I generally serve with lemon or mango pickle.

Do not forget to check out another recipe for Chutney, Try this Onion Chutney here in PepperBowl.

Liked this Ven Pongal Recipe? Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram