“During the month of December in India, pongal was made every day at home by my grandmother, mother and aunt.
My father, uncle, siblings and I enjoyed eating it. Whenever I make this dish, I am reminded of how amazing my loved
ones made it. Even though we ate scrumptious pongal daily for lunch, we never got tired of it! Before making pongal
the traditional way, make sure you have good quality ghee (clarified butter) at hand. Without ghee for the seasoning,
pongal is not pongal in my opinion. The creamy consistency of pongal comes from short grain rice, which has the
ability to absorb liquids well to release starch and also cook faster. Stay away from long grain or other aromatic rices
like basmati if you want the traditional creaminess of the dish.”— Lakshmi Muralidharan, Apex
PONGAL:
1 cup short grain rice (I use sona masoori)
1/4 cup split yellow dal or moong dal lentil
Salt
INGREDIENTS:
SEASONING:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black pepper (freshly ground)
4–5 Tbsp curry leaves
2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger (I recommend
fresh ginger vs. powdered)
1/4 tsp powdered asafoetida/hing (optional)
10–12 cashews broken into pieces (if you
have a nut allergy, skip it)
4–6 Tbsp ghee
COCONUT CHUNTNEY:
1 cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen
1–2 green chili peppers or Thai chili peppers
small handful cilantro
almond-sized tamarind (optional)
salt to taste
SEASONING:
1 tsp vegetable/canola oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida/hing (optional)
OTHER:
Pressure cooker (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
PONGAL:
- Dry roast (optional) the yellow lentils in a thick bottomed pan
over medium heat until fragrant and golden brown. - Wash rice a few times until water runs clear. Pressure cook the
washed rice and roasted lentils and four times the amount of
water (or 5 cups for 5–6 cooker whistles). Alternatively, bring
water to a boil in an open pot and add rice and roasted lentils.
Stir intermittently to avoid boiling over. When rice and lentils
seem half cooked, simmer partially covered until fully cooked.
Add more water if necessary. - Grind together the chutney ingredients with enough water to
make a paste. - Once the cooker has cooled (or the rice and lentils are fully
cooked on a stovetop), mash the lentil-rice mixture using a whisk
for a uniform, runny consistency and set aside. You can add more
ghee if you like.
CHUTNEY TEMPERING:
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan over high heat. When oil is hot
enough and shimmering, add mustard seeds. When the mustard
seeds start spluttering, reduce heat to medium, add asafoetida/
hing and quickly empty it over the chutney. Wipe the pan clean
with a paper towel using a pair of tongs.
PONGAL TEMPERING:
Heat ghee in the same pan over medium high heat. When ghee
is hot enough, add cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle, add
cashews and fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them.
Reduce heat to simmer and add curry leaves, fresh grated ginger,
asafoetida/hing and crushed black pepper, quickly followed by
the cooked lentil-rice mixture. Add salt to taste, mixing well.
Serve pongal hot with coconut chutney.
NOTES:
•Do not heat ghee at high heat similar to oil or it will burn.
•Do not use basmati or any kind of aromatic rice. Short grain rice similar to Sona Masoori will do well.
•If the cooked rice and lentil mix does not have the consistency of a creamy porridge, add enough warm water to bring it to the right
consistency. The quantities mentioned here serve 2–3 people. To adjust quantities for your needs, just remember to have a rice and lentil ratio of 2:1 and 3–4 times water (e.g. 1 cup rice + ½ cup lentils + 5–6 cups water. Some prefer to use 1:1 rice-lentil ratio as well, instead of 2:1. Suit yourself after trying.
•The quantity of asafoetida used is directly dependent on its potency, which differs by brand. For example, SSP brand asafoetida (which I use) is strong, hence a little goes a long way. L.G hing is milder than SSP. Adjust accordingly depending on the brand of your choice.