Khara Pongal (Ven Pongal)

Name: Khara Pongal (Ven Pongal)
Total time: 1800 s
Yield: 4 serving bowls
Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice (about 200 grams); 1/2 cup split yellow moong dal (about 100 grams); 4 tablespoons ghee; 1 piece fresh coconut, finely chopped; 1 -inch piece ginger, finely sliced into thin strips; 2 green chilies, slit; 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 4 cloves and 2 green cardamom pods; 2 dried red chilies; 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing); 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds; 10-12 cashews, 4 almonds, and raisins (optional); A few curry leaves; 1 pinch turmeric powder; Salt to taste

~Sushma Mishra Home Chef @sushmafoodandheart

Giridih Jharkhand

Khara Pongal (Ven Pongal) is a very popular, wholesome, and nutritious South Indian dish, often prepared as an offering in temples. This savory and mildly spiced dish is made with rice and split yellow moong dal, and is known for its soft texture and rich flavor from ghee. It is typically served as prasadam (offering) to devotees after morning prayers in South Indian temples. I’m sharing a recipe inspired by the Khara Pongal I enjoyed at the Meenakshi Temple in Bangalore, with a few personal touches. It’s delicious, easy to make, and a family favorite in my home.

Features of Khara Pongal:

- This is a savory and mildly spiced dish.
- Main ingredients: rice and split yellow moong dal.
- The flavor is gentle, wholesome, and rich with ghee.
- It is seasoned with asafoetida, black pepper, ginger, curry leaves, cashews, and optionally almonds and raisins.
- This recipe is made without garlic or onion, making it a pure, wholesome meal.

Features of Khara Pongal:

~Sushma Mishra Home Chef @sushmafoodandheart

Giridih Jharkhand

Features of Khara Pongal:

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Ingredients

30 minutes including prep

4 serving bowls

1 cupbasmati rice (about 200 grams)
1/2 cupsplit yellow moong dal (about 100 grams)
4 tablespoonsghee
1 piecefresh coconut, finely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, finely sliced into thin strips
2green chilies, slit
1 teaspoonwhole black peppercorns
4 clovesand 2 green cardamom pods
2dried red chilies
1/4 teaspoonasafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspooncumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
10-12cashews, 4 almonds, and raisins (optional)
A fewcurry leaves
1 pinchturmeric powder
Salt to taste

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Steps

30 minutes including prep

1

Gather all the ingredients for Khara Pongal on your kitchen counter. Turn on the stove and dry roast the moong dal in a pan for 5 minutes. Let it cool, then transfer to a bowl and add the rice.
2

Rinse the rice and dal 3-4 times with water until clean, then transfer to a pressure cooker.
3

Add salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric powder, and mix well.
4

Add the chopped coconut and three times as much water as the rice and dal. Pressure cook for 2 whistles, then let it cool.
5

In a pan, heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, dried red chilies, green chilies, cashews, almonds, and raisins. Sauté until fragrant, then add curry leaves and sauté briefly. Turn off the heat.
6

Open the pressure cooker and mix the cooked rice and dal. If needed, add a little hot water and more salt to adjust the consistency. Pour the prepared tempering over the pongal and mix well.
7

Garnish the hot pongal with extra ghee and fried nuts.
8

Serve hot with your favorite chutney. I like to serve it with cucumber raita.