Ven Pongal

Creamy, comforting, and packed with aromatic spices, Ven Pongal is a beloved South Indian breakfast recipe that's as easy to make as it is satisfying. This one-pot dish combines velvety short-grain rice and protein-rich yellow moong dal, cooked together until they reach a delightfully soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The dish's magic lies in its tempering—a fragrant blend of ghee, crunchy cashews, earthy cumin seeds, bold black peppercorns, and aromatic curry leaves—which infuses the pongal with irresistible flavor. Enhanced with fresh ginger, green chilies, and a hint of asafoetida, Ven Pongal strikes the perfect balance between savory and aromatic. Ready in just 40 minutes and naturally gluten-free, it's a wholesome dish that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a light dinner. Serve it piping hot with coconut chutney or tangy tomato sambhar for an authentic culinary experience.

Nutriscore Rating: 68/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 0.5 cup yellow moong dal
• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 8 leaves curry leaves
• 2 small green chilies
• 10 cashew nuts
• 0.25 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the rice and yellow moong dal together thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear.

Step 2

In a large pot, combine the rice, moong dal, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice and dal are cooked and mushy. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Step 4

In a small pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and black peppercorns. Sauté briefly until the cumin seeds start to splutter.

Step 5

Add the grated ginger, slit green chilies, cashew nuts, and curry leaves to the pan. Fry until the cashews are golden brown.

Step 6

Add the asafoetida to the pan and mix well.

Step 7

Pour the tempered spice mixture over the cooked rice and moong dal. Add salt and mix everything together gently.

Step 8

Simmer the pongal for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 9

Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of ghee if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1358.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1131.5

Total Fat 52.7g	0%
Saturated Fat 29.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 120mg	0%
Sodium 2522.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 129.8g	0%
Dietary Fiber 11.7g	0%
Total Sugars 2.2g
Protein 33.6g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 272.6mg	0%
Iron 12.9mg	0%
Potassium 1640.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 42.1%

Protein: 11.9%

Carbs: 46.0%