Ven Pongal – Gluten-free South Indian Breakfast – Stovetop and Instant pot

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Ven Pongal is a popular South Indian breakfast. It is basically rice and lentils cooked with some whole spices and ginger. It is an easy, healthy, and gluten-free breakfast.

Ven Pongal

Ven Pongal is an easy South Indian breakfast with a few basic ingredients. It is also loaded with cashew nuts and uses more ghee to make it more delicious. Even though I say it’s easy, it is also easy to go wrong when you get the proportions wrong. The Pongal should be moist and mushy. If it is dry, then you can’t enjoy it. Ven Pongal is usually had with sambar, chutney, or brinjal gothsu.

A sweet version of Pongal – Check out Sweet Pongal

How to make 

Ingredients Used

A short video

Stovetop Method

In the stovetop method, we are using the pressure cooker. Soak the rice and moong dal for 20 minutes after washing it thoroughly.  Heat the pressure cooker pan. Then add 1 tsp of ghee. Add chopped ginger and add the rice and dal mix. Saute for a minute and add 3 ½ cups of water with required salt. Close the pressure cooker and place the weight on the valve. Let it cook until three whistles. Switch it off.

Once the pressure is gone, open the lid. Press the cooked rice and dal with the back of the ladle to make it mushy. Heat another pan. Add 2 tsp of ghee. Then add cumin seeds, curry leaves, grounded pepper, and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds crackle add chopped cashew nuts. When the nuts turn golden, pour this tempering over the cooked rice and dal mixture. Mix it quickly so it is mixed all through. Serve warm.

Instant pot Method

Switch on the Instant Pot. Press the saute button. Add 1 Tsp of ghee, roast the chopped cashews golden, and remove it to a plate. Then add the remaining ghee. Add cumin seeds. When it crackles, add curry leaves, chopped ginger, ground pepper, and asafoetida. Saute for 30 seconds. Then add the washed and soaked rice, and dal mix. Add water and the required salt. Close the lid. Press the cancel button. Then press the manual button and set the cook time to 10 minutes. Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and press the cooked rice dal mixture with the backside of the ladle. Add the roasted cashews with the ghee over this pongal. Serve warm with chutney or sambar.

Pro tip – Add more ghee to get the best taste. Do not shy away from using ghee.

Variations to make Pongal

1. You can add whole peppercorns instead of ground if serving only for grown-ups.
2. You can also add a few chopped green chilies.

More Indian breakfast recipes for you

Sooji Upma

Appam

Sambar Dosa

Idli Upma

Poori

Need more Indian breakfast recipes – Check out Indian Breakfast recipes

Ven Pongal recipe with stepwise instructions

Ingredients

Raw rice/ Sona masoori/ Ponni rice – ¾ Cup

Moong dal – ¼ Cup

Ginger – 1 Tsp chopped

Ghee/ Clarified butter – 1 Tsp

Salt – as required

Water – 3 ½ Cups

Tempering

Cumin seeds – 1 Tsp

Asafoetida – ½ Tsp

Ground pepper/ whole pepper – 1 Tsp

Curry leaves – few chopped

Cashews – few chopped

Ghee/ Clarified butter – 2 Tsp

Method

Stovetop method

• Soak rice and moong dal for at least 20 minutes after washing it thoroughly.
•  Heat the pressure cooker pan. Then add 1 tsp of Ghee. 
• Add chopped ginger and add the rice and dal mix. 
• Saute for a minute and add 3 ½ cups of water with required salt. 
• Close the pressure cooker and place the weight on the valve. Let it cook until three whistles. Switch it off.
• Once the pressure is gone, open the lid.
•  Press the cooked rice and dal with the back of the ladle to make it mushy. 
• Heat another pan. Add 2 tsp of ghee. Then add cumin seeds, curry leaves, grounded pepper, and asafoetida. 
• When the cumin seeds crackle add chopped cashew nuts.
•  When the nuts turn golden, pour this tempering over the cooked rice and dal mixture. 
• Mix it quickly so it is mixed all through. Serve warm.

Instant pot Method

• Switch on the Instant Pot. Press the saute button. 
• Add 1 Tsp of ghee, roast the chopped cashews golden, and remove it to a plate.
• Then add the remaining ghee. Add cumin seeds. 
• When it crackles, add curry leaves, chopped ginger, ground pepper, and asafoetida. Saute for 30 seconds. 
• Then add the washed and soaked rice, and dal mix. 
• Add water and the required salt. Close the lid. Press the cancel button. 
• Then press the manual button and set the cook time to 10 minutes. 
• Once done, let the pressure release naturally. 
• Open the lid and press the cooked rice dal mixture with the backside of the ladle. 
• Add the roasted cashews with the ghee over this Pongal. 
• Serve warm with chutney or sambar.

Notes

1. You can add green chili in addition to the peppercorns to give the heat.

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