Pongal 2025: Make south Indian delicacies with these easy recipes

Every year Pongal is celebrated during midJanuary along with the likes of other harvest festivals like Makar Sankranti and Lohri While Lohri is celebrated in north India and Makar Sankranti in the west of the country Pongal is celebrated by south IndiansThis year the festival begins on January 14 and ends on January 17 and will be celebrated like always with tradition but not without delicious food that forms an integral part of the celebrationsPongalWhile there are many different dishes that can be made during Pongal the festival it would be difficult to ignore the dish that shares its name with the festival that is also made not only now but during the year too Ashish Vijay Kadam from Novotel Mumbai International Airport explains Pongal is a savory comforting South Indian dish traditionally prepared for festivals like Pongal but itrsquos perfect for any occasion Itrsquos a delightful combination of rice and lentils spiced with black pepper cumin and ginger making it warm and aromatic The addition of ghee enhances the flavor and brings out the natural richness of the ingredients while the cashews offer a crunchy contrast Itrsquos a simple yet hearty dish that balances both nutrition and tasteIngredientsRice 1 cupMoong dal yellow split lentils 14 cupGhee clarified butter 1 tbspBlack mustard seeds 1 tspCumin seeds 12 tspGreen chilies finely chopped 12 nosGinger grated 12 inchCurry leaves 1 sprigCashews 1012 nosBlack pepper powder optional 14 tspSalt to tasteWater 4 cups for a softer texture or 35 cups for a firmer oneA pinch of asafoetida hingFresh grated coconut optional 1 tbspMethod1 Roast the Moong Dal In a pan dry roast the moong dal until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma Set aside2 Cook the Rice and Moong Dal In a pressure cooker add rice roasted moong dal water and a pinch of salt Cook for about 23 whistles or until soft and wellcooked3 Prepare Tempering In a separate pan heat ghee Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds Once they splutter add green chilies grated ginger curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida Stirfry for a few seconds4 Add Cashews and Black Pepper Add the cashews and fry until golden brown If using black pepper add it now for an extra kick5 Combine Add the cooked rice and dal mixture to the pan with tempering Mix everything thoroughly6 Finish with Coconut optional Stir in fresh coconut for a touch of flavor and texture optional Adjust salt to taste7 Serve Serve hot with a side of coconut chutney or sambar for a complete mealSakkarai PongalWhile the savoury pongal dish is a classic the sweeter Sakkarai Pongal is also absolutely delicious Chef Prakash Chettiyar director of culinary at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar recommends making the dish to celebrate Pongal Even if you arent celebrating it the dish is so easy to make it can be relished any time of the yearIngredientsRaw rice or millet 1 kgWater 25 litresYellow Moong Dal 250 gmChanna Dal 250 gmJaggery 1 kgCardamom 5 gmCashewnut 50 gmRaisin 50 gmGhee 250 mlMethod1 In a pot dry roast the lentils until you get an aroma and the lentils turns lightly golden2 Keep stirring for even roasting Add the rice to the dal and pour 2 litres of water and bring it to a boilCook the mixture until nice and soft3 While the rice and lentils cook add 500 ml water and 1 kg jaggery to a pan and heat it on slow flame Strain the syrup and set aside4 Once the rice and lentils are well cooked mash th emixture slightly and add the jaggery syrup Heat the mixture until light bubbles are seen At this stage add the crushed cardamom to the mixture5 In a pan heat ghee and roast the raisin and cashewnut pour it over the rice and lentil mixture mix wellBisibele BathWhen talking about Pongal it is also impossible to talk about Bisibele Bath and thats why the chefs at ITC Grand Central in Parel suggest making the delcious savoury dish While Pongal is celebrated for three days you can make it any time of the year because there is no particular day to enjoy good foodIngredientsRice 1 cupToor dal split pigeon peas 12 cupMixed vegetables carrots peas beans etc 12 cupBisibele Bath powder 34 tbspSmall onion finely chopped 1 noTomato small chopped 2 nosTamarind pulp 23 tbspGhee or oil 23 tbspSalt to tasteWater as neededFor Tempering1 tsp mustard seeds1 tsp cumin seeds12 dried red chiliesFew curry leavesA pinch of asafoetida hingMethod1 Rinse rice and toor dal separately then soak them for 1520 minutes2 Pressure cook rice and dal together with enough water until soft3 Heat ghee or oil in a pan add mustard seeds cumin seeds dried red chilies curry leaves and asafoetida4 Add chopped onions chopped tomato and sauteacute until golden brown5 Add mixed vegetables and cook until they are tender6 Add strained tamarind pulp and Bisibele Bath powder mix well7 Add cooked rice and dal mixture salt Mix everything together8 Adjust consistency by adding water if needed Bring it to a boil then simmer for a few minutes9 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves10 Serve hot with a side of raita or papadMillets Sweet PongalIf you want to experiment with different kinds of Pongal then Ritesh Raje who is the executive sous chef at DoubleTree by Hilton Goa in Panaji says you can make the Millets Sweet Pongal to not only celebrate the harvest festival but also millets of different kindsIngredientsBarnyard Millet 12 cupJaggery 34 cupMoong dal 2 tbspWater 2 14 cupsMilk boiled and cooled 12 cupCardamom powder 12 tspGhee 3 tbspCashews 10 nosRaisins 10 nosDry coconut slices optional 1 tbspMethod1 Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and add the moong dal Roast it until golden brown2 Add the rinsed barnyard millet to the pan and mix well Pour in the water and combine3 Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low flame until the millet is soft and cooked through4 Once cooked add the jaggery and stir until it melts completely5 Add the boiled amp cooled milk and cardamom powder mixing everything well Remove from heat6 In a separate pan heat the remaining ghee and fry the cashews and dry coconut slicesif using until they turn light brown7 Add the raisins to the pan and fry until they plump up8 Remove from heat and pour the fried mixture over the cooked millet and jaggery blend9 Mix everything together well and serve warm