Ven Pongal (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Made from rice and lentils, this satisfying South Indian breakfast recipe, Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal, is enjoyed with sambar and chutney. Deliciously seasoned with curry leaves, cumin seeds, and black pepper, this vegetarian and gluten-free recipe is a wholesome meal.

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

This Pongal recipe is the savory version and is a good choice for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.

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

What is Pongal?

Ven Pongal is a savory South Indian Rice and Lentil dish and is known by many names such as Khara Pongal or Ghee Pongal. The sweet Pongal variation is known as Sakkarai Pongal. You can also make this pongal with millets in place of using 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 and sumptuous taste. It is also quite similar to the khichdi, a popular dish of northern Indian cuisine.

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 and Sakkarai Pongal are regular offerings to gods in Southern India.

Ingredients

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

Yellow 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 there are any allergies, you can skip it.

How to Make Ven Pongal?

When making this delicious Pongal, it is a good practice to roast moong dal as it gives out a wonderful aroma and easily mashes when cooked along with the rice. When making Ven Pongal or Sweet Pongal, it is important that the dal is well-mashed for a uniform taste. I usually roast the dal till it becomes aromatic and then make this dish as it enhances the flavor of the Pongal.

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

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

Instant Pot Ven Pongal

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

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the moong dal. Roast it until it becomes aromatic for a couple of minutes. 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 setting to rice mode, which by default goes to low-pressure cooking 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 along with the required quantity of water for 3-4 whistles on 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 for the flavors to soak in, and enjoy it with Sambar and chutney.

Variations

You can also cook many variations of this Khara 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.

Common Questions

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