Khara/Savory & Sihi/Sweet Pongal

Pongal is on menu on festive occasions. Festivals and Pongal are synonymous to certain extent...When I made this last weekend there was no festival, but Priyanka craved for some Pongal! After my hubby read the message, he had this sweet smile on his face and said...so today Pongal is on menu? there was no need to answer because I was frying hesarubele with ghee and its pleasant fragrance was all around the house :),  saying the answer is YES ! Priyanka this is for you.........



Khara/Savory Pongal :

Hesarubele/Split moongdal/dhuli moongdal - 2 cups*
Rice - 2 cups *

* Lentil : Rice taken in the ratio of 1:1 yeilds tasty dish
Once you cook rice and lentils together, separate them into equal portions to make savory and sweet pongal.

For Powder:
Jeerige/Cumin - 1tsp
Kaalumenasu/Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Ingu/Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Dry roast Cumin and Pepper and grind them in a pessel & mortar with other ingredients. Keep it aside

For Tampering :
Ghee - Be generousMustard, Cashew Nuts (generously used :D) Curry Leaves, Whole pepper corns, greenchilli-1 cut into thin rounds

Apart from the ingredients above you need dry grated coconut ..no qty just use as required. Coconut garnishing enhances flavor. I add chopped coriander also ;) we love coriander garnishing



Method :

Fry separately Hesarubele/Split moongdal/dhuli moongdal & rice in a tbsp of ghee till you get nice aroma of lentils ...at this stage lentils would have started turning brown. Rice ..just heat it up in the same pan. Cook Rice and Lentils in a pressure cooker with enough water. I use 1 cup rice & dal mixture : 1.5cups water for Pongal to make it little soft and porridge like....adjust water accordingly

In a vessel in which you want to make Pongal heat ghee. Add tampering ingredients in the order mentioned..just wait for few seconds for mustard to crackle and cashews to turn red! .....
Add the powder mentioned above and give a nice stir. Add cooked rice & lentil mixture and add a glass full of water and mix thoroughly. Add salt. Bring it to boil and check for salt. Garnish with dry grated coconut and coriander if you wish for a divine, flavorful, tasty Pongal! Enjoy hot!

Bellada Pongal/Sweet Pongal




Cooked Rice & Lentil Mixture : 1 cup
Whole Milk : 2.5 cups
Jaggery : 1/2 cup grated (You can use sugar)
Ghee : Be generous
Dry Fruits : Cashew and Raisins :D generously used again
Dry grated coconut : 2tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1/s tsp (optional)

Mix everything in a vessel and bring it to boil.
You can fry dry fruits in ghee or use it as it is..I have fried in ghee and added it.
I don't use cardamom powder for sweet pongal.
Use more jaggery if you want it to be more sweeter.Enjoy Savory and Sweet Pongal Hot HOT!