Salted pongal (south Indian recipe)

Servings: 3-4
Preparation time: 5 minutes.
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Tempering/seasoning time: 4 minutes.
Total time: 24 minutes.

Eating restaurant food for days together can be boring, as outside food is high in fats, calories and sodium.

Home cooked food is healthy and safe; so why not to cook this simple and traditional recipe ‘salted pongal’. It is nutritious, appealing flavour, exciting taste and aroma; rather it is one pot balanced meal.

“Salted pongal (south Indian recipe)” also known as Ven Pongal, is a comforting South Indian dish made from rice and moong dal, seasoned generously with ghee, black pepper, cumin, ginger, and cashews.

Soft, mildly spiced, and fragrant, it’s a wholesome one-pot meal that is light on the stomach yet deeply satisfying. Often enjoyed with coconut chutney and sambar, salted pongal is cherished for its simplicity and nourishing qualities, making it a staple for breakfast or brunch in many South Indian homes.

The origins of pongal lie in Tamil Nadu, where it is not just a dish but also a part of cultural tradition. The word pongal means “to boil over” in Tamil, symbolising abundance and prosperity.

While the sweet version (Sakkarai Pongal) is famously prepared during the harvest festival of Pongal in January, the salted version (Ven Pongal) evolved as a regular household favorite, especially in temple kitchens and tiffin. Over time, it has spread to neighboring states, becoming a beloved comfort food across the southern region.

Traditionally it is the festive dish on the occasion of Pongal’s festival in south India, served on banana leaf. It suits today’s office going and busy modern lifestyle, an excellent food for all of us.

Ingredients:

Raw rice: 100 gm. (1 cup)
Yellow Mung dal (split green gram)/paasi paruppu: 100 gm. (1 cup)
Ghee: 3-4 tablespoon
Cashew nut: 12-15 no.
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Cumin: 1 teaspoon
Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida: ½ teaspoon
Green chilli: 1 no.
Ginger: 2” piece
Curry leaves: 1 twig

Preparation:

Chop ginger and green chilli into small pieces, keep aside.
Coarsely grind the black pepper, keep aside.
Wash rice and dal together and keep aside.

Method:

Take an earthen pot, boil 5 cup of water, when water starts boiling; add mixture of washed rice and dal.
Add salt and turmeric powder along with one tablespoon of ghee, cook until it is done. (About 10-15 minutes). Keep aside.
After tempering/seasoning Salted Pongal (south Indian recipe) is ready.
Note: Pressure cooker can be used instead of earthen pot.

Tempering/seasoning:

Take fry pan, put 2 tablespoon of ghee, and fry cashew nut till light brown; take it out and keep aside.
Add cumin seed, sputter it for few seconds; add chopped ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilli; stir fry for few seconds on high flame, add crushed black pepper, put off the flame, Seasoning is ready.
Add seasoning and fried cashew nut in prepared Pongal and stir it.
Now Salted Pongal (south Indian recipe) is ready to serve with masala Sāmbhar, ulundu vada, and pickles.