Ven Pongal
Comforting Tamil rice-and-moong porridge, creamy and soft, finished with a peppery cumin-cashew tempering in oil. A warming, savoury start to the day.
35 min 2 servingsEasy
Ingredients
2 servingsContains: tree nut
Flavor profile
Spice
Richness
Method
- 1Dry-roast the split moong dal on low heat until it smells nutty and turns light golden.
- 2Rinse the roasted dal with the rice until the water runs clear.
- 3Add the rice and dal to a pressure cooker with the water and a little salt.
- 4Cook for four to five whistles until everything is very soft and mushy.
- 5Coarsely crush the black peppercorns.
- 6Heat the oil in a small pan and fry the cashews until golden.
- 7Add the cumin and crushed pepper and let them sizzle.
- 8Toss in the curry leaves and switch off once they crackle.
- 9Open the cooker, mash the rice and dal to a soft porridge, loosening with hot water if needed.
- 10Pour in the tempering and fold through with the remaining salt.
- 11Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
Frequently asked
About 35 minutes total — 10 min prep and 25 min cooking.
Yes — Ven Pongal is gluten free, jain, veg, vegan.
Ven Pongal contains tree nut. Always check ingredient labels if you have allergies.
This recipe makes 2 servings.
