Ven Pongal (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Made from rice and lentils, this satisfying South Indian breakfast, Ven Pongal (also called Khara Pongal), is enjoyed with sambar and chutney. It is deliciously seasoned with curry leaves, cumin seeds, and black pepper. Learn this easy, soul-warming Ven Pongal recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Ven Pongal is a ghee-laced, one-pot dish that makes for a delightful lazy meal. It is served steaming hot with coconut chutney and sambhar. There are two versions of this pongal: sweet and savory.

Today, I am sharing my friend’s recipe for the savory Ven Pongal. We have been enjoying the dish at her place for years, and I have learned to make it at home. The kids and everyone in the family loved it.

Pongal Festival

Pongal is a four-day-long harvest festival in South India. It is celebrated as a thanksgiving festival for a bountiful harvest. It is known by many names across India, such as Pedda Panduga in Andhra Pradesh, Bihu in East India, Makar Sankranti in North and Western India, and Lohri in some parts of North India. Many special dishes are cooked using the newly harvested grains.

They are offered to the gods and are called Naivediyam in Tamil. Ven Pongal (also called Ghee Pongal) and Sakkarai Pongal are regular offerings to gods in Southern India. You can also make this pongal with millets in place of rice. Both these variations have a smooth porridge-like consistency and are served piping hot.

The tempering of cashews, curry leaves, pepper, and ghee gives this dish a wholesome, sumptuous flavor. It is also quite similar to the khichdi, a popular dish of northern Indian cuisine.

Ingredients

Rice: I have used Sona masoori white rice, but you can also use Seeraga samba rice or Ponni rice for this recipe. 

Yellow Split Moong Dal: Use dehusked, split yellow moong dal.

Spices: For this recipe, you need just a few spices – whole black peppercorns, cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and salt. You can use crushed black pepper if you don’t want whole black pepper while eating.

Ghee: Adding a generous amount of ghee gives flavor and aroma to this dish. However, if you are vegan, replace it with a plant-based oil of your choice.

Herbs/ aromatics: Ginger, curry leaves, and green chilies are used. They add lots of flavor to the dish and make it delicious.

Cashew nuts: I like to use cashew nuts. If you have any allergies, you can skip them.

Variations

You can also cook many variations of this Ven Pongal, like:

• Make pongal with an equal amount of dal and rice, which is also a good substitute for toddler food.
• You can even add the veggies of your choice to this Ven Pongal.
• Split green moong dal also works well with this recipe. You can make quinoa Pongal in the same way as described above.

How to Make Ven Pongal?

When making this delicious Pongal, it is a good practice to roast the moong dal, as it releases a wonderful aroma and mashes easily when cooked with the rice. When making Ven Pongal or Sweet Pongal, it is important that the dal is well-mashed for a uniform taste.

Black peppercorns are an integral part of this dish, and you either temper them whole or crush them slightly before adding them.

But the key to great taste is the generous serving of ghee all over the Pongal.

Ven Pongal can be made both in an Instant Pot and a stovetop pressure cooker. I have listed both options below; you can choose your preferred method for making this Khara Pongal.

Instant Pot Ven Pongal

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the moong dal. Roast it for a couple of minutes, until it becomes aromatic. Remove it from the pot and keep it aside in a dry plate/bowl. This step is optional; if you are in a hurry, you can skip it.
• Then add the moong dal and rice to a bowl or strainer and wash them well till the water runs clear.
• Next, start the Instant Pot in sauté mode and add a generous serving of ghee.
• Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns (whole or lightly crushed) along with asafoetida, curry leaves, and cashews.

• Sauté these ingredients till the cashews are lightly roasted. Take out half a portion of the tempering and reserve it for later.
• Then add slit green chili and ginger, and sauté them till the ginger turns golden brown. Add the rice and moong dal to this mix and sauté for a few minutes.
• Add water and salt to the pot and stir all the ingredients together once. Then, close the lid with the vent in the sealing position.

• Set the Instant Pot to rice mode; by default, it cooks at low pressure for 12 minutes.
• Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can release the remaining pressure manually
• Once the pressure is completely released, open the Instant Pot and top it with the reserved tempering and roasted cashews. Enjoy it piping hot with sambar and chutney.

Stovetop Ven Pongal

Follow the same steps as above to get the dal and rice ready for pressure cooking.

• In a stovetop pressure cooker, pressure-cook the dal and rice with the required amount of water for 3-4 whistles over a medium-high flame. Once the pressure is released, check the consistency of the Pongal and add more water if needed.
• Take a medium-sized pan on the stovetop and prepare the tempering by adding ghee, then cumin seeds, black pepper, asafoetida, curry leaves, and cashews. Roast them till the cashews become lightly brown.
• Then add the slit green chilies along with ginger. When the ginger changes color, your tempering is ready.
• Add the tempering to the cooked dal and rice and mix them well. Simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors soak in, and enjoy it with Sambar and chutney.

Common Questions

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