– SheelaPaul (Dietitian, MVNES)
The famous and important festival for Hindus in Tamil Nadu is Pongal.This is a harvest festival and is celebrated for 4 days as Bogi festival, SuriyaPongal or MakaraSankranthi, MattuPongal and KanumPongal.It is celebrated for prosperity at harvest time by thanking the rain, the sun and the farm animals that have helped in the harvest. In villages, people wear new clothes. While Pongal is predominantly a Tamil festival, the same festivals are also celebrated in several other Indian States under different names. In Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka, Sankranti is celebrated. In North India, it is called MakaraSankranti. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is celebrated on the date of the annual kite flying day, Uttarayan. It also coincides with the bonfire and harvest festival in Punjab and Haryana, known as Lohri.
In most households the Pongal is usually made with rice and dal. Here are a few variations for the occasion.
Cracked Wheat Rava Pongal
INGREDIENTS:
• Cracked wheat, 1 cup.
• Moong dhal, ½ cup.
• Ground pepper, 1 teaspoon.
• Cumin seed, 1 tablespoon.
• Chopped cashew, 1 tablespoon.
• Curry leaves, a handful.
• Ginger, 1 small piece.
• Green chili, 1 (optional).
• Any cooking oil, 1 tablespoon.
Salt to taste.
METHOD:
1. Dry roast the cracked wheat for 5 minutes and let it cool. Wash the moong dhal and cook it in a pressure cooker until it is well-cooked and turns mushy.
2. Chop the ginger into fine pieces and slit the chili into 2 and keep aside. Heat a small pan with a tablespoon of oil.
3. When the oil is hot enough, add the cumin seed and cashew and fry for a minute until you get a good aroma and cumin and the cashews turn brown.
4. Then add the chopped ginger, curry leaves, and chili and fry everything for another minute. Now add the cooked dhal, cracked wheat with 2 cups of water along with salt, mix everything, and cook on medium flame until well-cooked andsoft.
5. At this stage, add another tablespoon of oil or ghee and cook for a few more minutes on low flame.
6. Serve the hot pongal with coconut chutney and sambar.
Broken Wheat Rava& Oats Pongal
• Cracked wheat, 1 cup.
• Oats – ½ cup
• Moong dhal, ½ cup.
• Ground pepper, 1 teaspoon.
• Cumin seed, 1 tablespoon.
• Chopped cashew, 1 tablespoon.
• Curry leaves, a handful.
• Ginger, 1 small piece.
• Green chili, 1 (optional).
• Any cooking oil, 1 tablespoon.
• Salt to taste.
METHOD:
1. Dry roast the cracked wheat and oats for 5 minutes and let it cool. Wash the moong dhal and cook it in a pressure cooker until it is well-cooked and turns mushy.
2. Chop the ginger into fine pieces and slit the chili into 2 and keep aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil ina small pan.
3. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seed and cashew and fry for a minute till you get a good aromaand cumin and cashew turn brown.
4. Then add the chopped ginger, curry leaves, and chili and fry for another minute.
5. Now add the cooked dhal ,cracked wheat and 2 cups of water and salt, mix, and cook on medium flame till well- cooked and soft.
6. At this stage, add another tablespoon of oil or ghee and cook for a few more minutes on a low flame. Serve the hot pongal with coconut chutney and sambar.
Fruit Sakkarai Pongal
Ingredients:
• Rice – 2 cups
• Milk – 200 ml
• Moong Dhal – ½ cup
• Ghee – 3 tsp
• Cashewnut – 25 gms
• Cardamon powder – 1 tsp
• Sugar free – 4 to 5 tsp
• Pinapple – 100gms
• Banana – 100 gms
• Apple -100 gms
• Pomegranate – 100gms
• Cherries – 50 gms
METHOD:
1. Wash and drain therice and moong dhal and add milk or milk and water and a pinch of salt.
2. Cook well.
3. Heat oil in a pan and roast cashwnut and then add the well -cooked rice, dhal and fruits cut into small pieces.
4. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.Then add ghee on the top and add Sugar free
5. Decorate pongal with cherries
6. Relish your sweet pongal
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