A very happy Pongal to all.

For those unfamiliar with the festival, Thai Pongal is a harvest celebration observed in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. The word Pongal in Tamil translates to “boiling over” or “spilling over,” symbolizing prosperity and abundance. Traditionally, milk is boiled in a clay pot until it spills over, representing gratitude to the Sun God for a successful harvest.

Rice is cooked in milk along with jaggery to make Sakkarai Pongal, the sweet version of the dish. What you see in the images below are some of the traditional foods prepared for this festival. Venn Pongal is the savory counterpart — a comforting rice porridge, similar to khichdi, made primarily with rice and lentils.

Like most traditional dishes, Venn Pongal has its own learning curve. I’ve tasted versions that were too dry, overly pasty, excessively rich with ghee, or lacking it altogether. After trying many variations, I can confidently say that Anusuya’s version strikes the perfect balance. Her method of transferring the Pongal to a crock pot after cooking helps maintain an ideal texture and consistency.

Ingredients

  • Raw rice – 2 cups
  • Moong dal – 3/4 cup
  • Red lentils (masoor dal) – 1 fistful
  • Water – 7 to 7 1/2 cups
  • Salt – to taste
  • Cashews – 1/2 cup
  • Whole black pepper – 2 tbsp
  • Ginger – 1 1/2-inch piece, crushed or finely chopped
  • Ghee (clarified butter) – 1/4 cup
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 tbsp

Method

  1. Dry-roast the moong dal until aromatic.
  2. Combine the roasted moong dal with the raw rice and red lentils. Add the water and transfer the mixture to a pressure cooker.
  3. Add salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons for this quantity). Pressure-cook for 5 whistles, or approximately 10–15 minutes, until the rice and lentils are very soft.
  4. While the rice mixture is cooking, heat the ghee in a flat-bottomed pan. Add the ginger and sauté lightly.
  5. Add the cashews, crushed black pepper, and cumin seeds. Fry until the cashews turn golden brown.
  6. Add the curry leaves and turn off the heat.
  7. Once the pressure cooker has cooled slightly, open the lid and mix the rice and lentils thoroughly using a ladle to achieve a smooth, porridge-like consistency.
  8. Add the tempered ghee mixture to the Pongal and mix well. Garnish with curry leaves.
  9. Transfer the Pongal to a crock pot and set it to “keep warm” mode until ready to serve.

Creamy, aromatic, and deeply comforting, Venn Pongal is a timeless dish that perfectly captures the spirit of the Pongal festival.