Pongal 2023: 3 traditional and delicious Pongal recipes you must try
From Milagu to Kalkandu Pongal, celebrate the festival this year with these lip-smacking traditional recipes.
Pongal is a traditional harvest festival celebrated in South India, particularly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The festival is a four-day event and is celebrated in the month of January. Harvest season is celebrated with the Pongal festival, which is also a time when people gather to worship the soil, mother nature, and farm animals for their role in their well-being and prosperity. Pongal is a festival that is annually observed in Tamil Nadu with great celebration and pomp. (Also read: Pongal 2023: Date, history, significance and celebration )
Pongal will be observed from January 15 to January 18 of this year as well. One of the most important aspects of the Pongal festival is the food. The traditional Pongal recipes are a combination of rice, lentils, and spices cooked together and served with ghee or clarified butter. Celebrate Pongal this year with these traditional yummy recipes.
- Sweet Pongal
( Recipe by Chef Sanjyot Kheer)
Ingredients:
Ghee 2 tbsp
Rice 1 cup
Moong dal 1/4 cup
Milk 1 cup
Water 3.5 cups
Jaggery 2 cups (chopped)
Water 1/2 cup
Ghee 2-3 tbsp
Cashews 1/3 cup (roughly chopped)
Cloves 2-3 nos.
Cardamom powder a pinch
Method:
1. Wash the rice and dal together in a bowl until the water runs clear, later drain the water.
2. Further set a pressure cooker over medium flame and add the ghee.
3. Once the ghee gets hot, add in the washed rice and dal, and saute them over medium flame until aromatic.
4. Once the rice and dal get aromatic, add in the milk and water, and pressure cook them for 5-6 whistles.
5. After cooking the rice and dal, in a separate pan add the jaggery along with water and cook it until one string consistency, this will take about 10-12 minutes.
6. Once the jaggery solution is ready, strain it into the cooked rice and dal.
7. Stir well and simmer the Pongal for 3-4 minutes.
8. Further set a small saucepan over high heat and add oil to it.
9. Once the oil gets hot, add in the chopped cashews and cloves.
10. Fry the nuts until light golden brown then pour them over the Pongal and add the cardamom powder and mix well.
11. Your sweet Pongal is ready to serve.
2. Milagu Pongal
(Recipe by Instagram/@homecookingshow)
Ingredients:
Raw Rice (Ponni Variety) - 1 Cup
Moong Dal - 1/2 Cup
Peppercorn - 2 Tbsp
Water - 5 Cups
Salt - 2 Tsp
For Tempering
Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tsp
Pound Pepper
Chopped Ginger
Cashew Nuts
Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Curry Leaves
Method:
1. Rinse and soak the rice and moong dal for about 30 mins
2. Add water in a pressure cooker and add the rice and moong dal. Pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles.
3. Make a coarse powder from pepper
4. Take a frying pan and add ghee. After the ghee is heated add jeera, coarsely ground pepper powder, cashews, ginger, and curry leaves.
5. After 5-6 whistles open the cooker and add the frying pan content into the cooker. Stir well and add ghee if necessary. Serve hot with chutney or sambar.
3. Kalkandu Pongal
(Recipe by Instagram/@homecookingshow)
Ingredients:
Rice - ½ cup
Sugar candy/ Kalkandu 200 grams
Milk 1 cup
Water
Cardamom
Cashews
Raisins
Ghee
Method:
1. In a large pan dissolve the sugar candy in water. Bring it to a boil and stir it continuously to completely dissolve the sugar candy
2. Turn off the stove and set it aside. Soak rice for about 30 minutes and set it aside
3. Now in a pot add water and milk and bring it to a boil. Add the soaked rice to it and cooked it till rice becomes soft
4. Now strain and add the sugar candy syrup to the rice mixture. Cook it till it thickens and comes together
5. Add some cardamom powder to it. Add some ghee and add roasted cashews and raisins for added flavour
6. You can add some saffron to garnish it. Kalkandu Pongal tastes best when served hot.
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