Pongal O Pongal

 

Today is Pongal, the famous Tamizh festival. Pongal is also a famous breakfast item across the state of Tamilnadu. Pongal in Tamil means the ritual boiling over of milk and rice. It is a metaphor for prosperity and abundance.

Internet has many longwinded and elaborate recipes for Pongal. So, I decided to post a brief one based on my actual experience today and some phone calls with Amma.

Ingredients – Rice, Moong Dal, Ginger, Peppercorn, Cumin, Cashew and Ghee

Method:

1)      Roast Moong Dal till fragrant.

2)      Rice and Moong Dal should be in equal proportions. Cook them together with lot of water. Add chopped ginger, peppercorn (partly whole, partly crushed) and salt to taste while the rice and dal are being cooked. Cook well. The mixture should turn fairly mushy. Add more water if required. Better to cook in a pot than in the pressure cooker.

3)      For tempering use always Ghee. Oil is blasphemous. Fry cashew in the Ghee till they are golden brown. Add cumin and some more peppercorns.

4)      Pour the temper over the cooked mixture and mix well. The Pongal is ready to eat.

5)      Don’t commit the blasphemy of adding anything else, especially Hing.

Post Script:

Pongal is a comfort food. Don’t seek perfection. And don’t be fooled by the less than glamorous photo at the top. It tasted as good as what most authentic restaurants in TN deliver.