Festiv-eaties: Try these Pongal special menus across city eateries

Opening a box of goodnessA fivestar in Lower Parel has prepared a Pongal box that is being delivered to peoplersquos doorsteps It includes paruppu vadai asparagus and vazhakka thoran thayir sadam Kozhi ghee roast and meen kozhambu with elaneer payasam ending the meal on a sweet noteTime 12 pm to 12 amAt The St Regis Mumbai Senapati Bapat Marg Lower ParelCall 61628422Cost Rs 2500Something for everyoneAll three festivals of Pongal Lohri and Sankranti have influenced a limitededition menu at an Andheri restaurant which is celebrating the harvest season You thus get a mix of dishes like surti undhiyu moong dal halwa and jalebi with malpua and drinks including kesar lassi all of which point towards the way different communities celebrate this seasonTime 12 pm to 12 amAt Rasotsav Royal Sands Building Andheri WestCall 7208027824Cost Rs 550Sweet beginningsThis restaurant that serves South Indian food is laying out an elaborate thali It includes two versions of kosambari made out of channa dal and urad dal pulliyogare tamarind rice chithranna lemon rice poricha kuzhambu sambar and belle obbatu which is a South Indian version of pooranpoli And as a sweet touch every guest who walks into the eatery will be greeted with small pieces of sugarcane and yellu bella which is made from white sesame roasted channa dal and jaggeryTime 11 am to 10 pmAt Thangabali Manmohan Bhavan Mahim WestCall 9321845558Cost Rs 699Home truthsPerimas Kitchen a homecooking venture run by chef Meena Subramanian has a special Pongal menu for this weekend that has traditional delicacies including manga pacchidi which is a sweet served on auspicious occasions potato kara kari where the spud is stirfried with fresh ground spices paruppa vadai or crunchy lentil vadas puli inji a pickle made with ginger and green chillies in tamarind pasteTime 11 am to 9 pmLog on to perimaskitchen on InstagramCost Rs 1600Dressed the partA popular eatery in Versova is all dressed up for Pongal with traditional clay pots and white rangoli ramping up the interiors They are also offering a limitededition thali that has ven pongal which is savoury and chakkara pongal which is sweet due to the inclusion of jaggeryTime 11 am to 10 pmAt The Tanjore Tiffin Room Ratan Kunj Versova Andheri WestCall 9820050591Cost Rs 550Sakkarai pongalIngredientsgtgt 1 cup rice washedgtgt 12 cup yellow moong dal split washed gtgt 1 cup jaggery grated and meltedgtgt 1 teaspoon cardamom powdergtgt 14 cup gheeFor seasoninggtgt 2 tablespoons cashew nuts halvedgtgt 1 tablespoon gheeMethodHeat a pan on medium heat and roast the yellow moong dal until a lightly roasted aroma is released Put the roasted moong dal and rice in a pressure cooker Add three cups of water and pressurecook till two whistles After the first one turn the heat to low and simmer for four minutes and cook Keep this aside Melt the jaggery in half a cup of water Allow the jaggery to come to a boil Now heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small pan and roast the cashew nuts until golden and crisp Turn off the heat and keep aside In the final steps add the melted jaggery mixture and the roasted cashew nuts along with the 14 cup of ghee into the cooked rice and dal Add in the cardamom powder Stir well on medium heat for five minutes until the jaggery and cardamom powder gets wellblended with the rice and dal mixture The pongal is now ready Transfer it to a serving bowl Chef Marina Balakrishnan That Thalassery Girl