Pongal- Ven pongal, Sakkarai pongal and rava pongal

Ven pongal

raw Rice to moong dal 1:1 ( For 5 of us , I use (1.5 cup of rice and 1.5 cup of dal))
1 cup milk
Cumin seeds
Black pepper
Ginger ( cut to very small pieces,, then lightly smashed.)
curry leaves
Oil 3 table spoons
Ghee 1 table spoon
salt to taste

wash and soak the rice and dal mixture for 15 mins
Add water to this mixture in the ratio of 1:3. add a cup less . so for the 3 cup of rice and dal mix, I add about 8 cups of water. add salt to taste. cook it in the pressure cooker .. 3 whistles.
When it is done, mash it nicely with the back of the ladle. Then mix in 1 cup of milk. (this gives the extra creamy taste but is optional.)
In the meanwhile,in a kadai/ennai karandi heat oil, put in the black pepper and when it crackles add cumin seeds and switch off the flame. Add curry leaves and ginger to this saute for few seconds.
Mix the spices to the cooked rice and dal.
heat the ghee and then add to the pongal as a final step.. it gives awesome flavour to the pongal.
If you prefer the completely non-sticky pongal - just increase the amount of oil and ghee..

my mom's version is : in the pressure cooker.. add the oil, saute pepper, cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger for half a minute and then add the rice and dal mix with the water and salt. pressure cook it.. 3-4 whistle. when done mix in the milk..and ghee.. pongal is ready to serve.

adding fried cashew will also add to the taste of the pongal.


Sakkarai (sweet) pongal

raw Rice : dal : powdered or grated Jaggery 1:1:2 (3/4 cup of rice and 3/4 cup of moong dal, 1.5 cup jaggery)
cashew and raisin
wash and soak the rice and dal mixture for 15 mins
cook it just as in the case with ven pongal but do not add salt
When it is done, mash it nicely with the back of the ladle. Then mix in 1 cup of milk.
while constantly mixing in the rice and dal over low flame, add in the powdered/grated jaggery. ( if you worry that the jaggery might have some stone or mud, then to the powdered jaggery add abt 1-2 tablespoon of hot water and mix it well . then strain it. .this Syrup can now be added to the cooked rice and dal.).
heat the ghee, add the the cashew nuts and raisins and fry in a low flame till it cashew becomes golden brown colour.
mix it into the pongal..


Rava pongal

Instead of rice use rava
rava and moong dal 1:0.5
Ghee 3tablespoon
curry Leaves
Ginger
Blackpeppercorn
Cumin Seeds
Salt to taste

Pressure cook the moong dal with 1 cup of water.
Fry the rava without any oil till golden. let it cool by spreading it on a plate.
In heavy bottomed pan, add the ghee and fry the black pepper and cumin seeds, chopped ginger, curry leaves. add 2 cups of water to this along with salt to taste and let it boil.
To the boiling water, mix in the cooked moong dal. then add the fried rava in small measures and stir continuously till the rava is cooked completely.
Once done you could add little ghee.. . as with most things fried cashew nuts are optional too..

My mom version.: no dal. .and rest of the recipe the same.. and she uses powdered black pepper.. tastes great too .. and is one of the quickest tiffin to make.

I love the ven pongal and rava pongal with spicy coconut and pottukadalai ( roasted gram -I think) chutney and sambar.. But it tastes great with vathakozhambu or pullikozhambu as well.