I love quick meals that can satisfy my family, yet is healthy, tasty, comforting and super delicious! Nothing says comfort more than “Pongal” in my family, especially my husband and I! Our kids are all grown up and have flown the coop, so it is just the two of us. I love making exotic and fun dishes, but when I am a bit preoccupied with other things (not related to cooking), we reach out to this south Indian delight.
WHAT IS PONGAL?
It is a one-pot mung bean dal/rice savory dish normally served for breakfast in the southern part of India (specifically from the region of Tamilnadu) along with fresh coconut chutney and/or sambar (lentil curry flavored with sambar powder).
We love to (most of the time) make a lunch of this with coconut chutney and lots of fresh homemade ghee along with maybe some potato chips or fried snacks like chiwda, savory chickpea boondi etc. Instead of rice, you can use any grain or millet to make this pongal, keeping the lentil the same. Traditionally, Pongal is prepared during the harvest season in Tamilnadu to celebrate the fresh harvest of rice, sugarcane, turmeric etc. Along with the savory pongal, sweet pongal (sweetened with jaggery) is also relished!
PONGAL USING MILLETS:
I have always made pongal using rice and dal but this time, for a more healthier and filling treat, I decided to use up a packet of kodo millet that I had purchased a while back. In our family (especially my mother and her sisters), we use kodo millet to make idlis which I have not yet tried! But, I wanted to add this wonder grain to our diet in our favorite dish, pongal!
I just substituted rice with kodo millet, albeit using a bit more water as it takes more to cook than rice. You can check out how I make this with rice here. The rest of the basic spices needed to make it are the same: cumin seeds, black pepper, ginger and a dash of hing/asafetida powder which, if you do not have, perfectly fine to omit.
FOXTAIL MILLET PONGAL (Updated March 2024):
Had a packet of foxtail millet or bajra as they call it in India. Trying to be low carb some days of the week. Recipe is the same but added some green peas too for more nutrition. Served this creamy delicious Foxtail Millet Pongal with a side of fresh coconut chutney (coconut, lots of curry leaves, sunflower seeds, tamarind, coriander seeds, red chili powder, chutney dal).
MAKING IT IN A PRESSURE COOKER:
I love my stove top pressure cooker as well as the electric Instant Pot pressure cooker and use either daily to cook my beans, legumes, rice etc. Pongal traditionally is made on a stove top, but to save time and energy, I have always used the pressure cooker. With Instant Pot being the rage nowadays, it is way easier in that too!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Pongal goes best with a lovely coconut chutney either flavored with onions, coriander seeds, coriander leaves etc. You can check out some of these I normally make to enjoy with dosas, idlis, pongal etc. in my blog under chutneys. Some people prefer to have sambar too (like it is served in restaurants), but hey, I am looking for a quick meal, so it is just pongal, coconut chutney and lots of ghee drizzled (for a richer flavor!); vegans can omit this. We enjoyed it with my favorite coconut chutney tinged with some hing powder but today, blended in some fresh coriander seeds along with the coconut…yummmm!
So get a packet of kodo millets and make this delicious one-pot Indian lentil dish for a super comforting and filling healthy meal! Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, brunch or take it in your lunch/tiffin box. It has neither onions nor garlic and is perfect to make and enjoy during festivals, religious functions etc. Enjoy and Happy and Healthy Cooking!
Here are some more easy pongal varieties:
Ven Pongal (rice-lentil pongal) Cracked Wheat/Broken Wheat Ven Pongal (using wheat and lentils) Sweet Pongal (with jaggery)
If you make this recipe,
Tag @curryandvanilla16 on Instagram and hashtag it #curryandvanilla16. Cook Time: 30 minutes
¾ cup kodo millet ¼ cup moong dal (split mung bean dal; without skin) 1 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds ½ inch piece ginger, grated 2 green chilies/1 serrano, slit 1 tsp whole black pepper corns ½ tsp black pepper powder ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder Salt to taste 2 cups water FOR TEMPERING: 2 teaspoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 dry red chilli (optional; I have used it to give a pop of color) ¼ teaspoon hing/asafetida powder Few curry leaves
Instructions Notes If you are not comfortable using millets or cannot find some, please go ahead and make this with just any kind of rice you have on hand! I have tried different versions of pongal using cracked wheat, quinoa, barley etc. too. Just that the cooking times will be different. Pongal thickens as it sits and cools so add more water just before serving, simmer again and serve hot! This so comforting south Indian delight tastes best drizzled with lots of ghee, but if you are vegan, it is ok to omit it.
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