Ven Pongal Recipe - Khara Pongal - Ghee Pongal Recipe

Ven pongal also known as ghee pongal & khara pongal is one of the most popular South Indian breakfast recipes.My Mom & MIL makes it very well. Though they follow different methods,i like both the versions.I usually follow my MIL’s method as my husband Sendhil is fond of it.My mom adds crushed pepper but my mil adds whole pepper & cumin along with other ingredients as per our family liking.To me, its a very easy one pot meal.So I usually make pongal in busy mornings & mostly for my guests.The taste & softness of pongal depends not only in the quantity of ghee but also on the quality of rice  & quantity of water,rice ratio .In Tamilnadu,we get pongal rice(Raw rice/Pacharisi).We use it for making sakkarai pongal & ven pongal .Here in Bangalore,i buy the costliest , good quality Sona masoori raw rice.In this post,I have shared my MIL’s method.It’s a very easy and quick method using pressure cooker.I have used moderate quantity of ghee in this recipe.If u r planning to try for your guests , add more ghee before serving otherwise just follow this recipe for the first time and adjust the amount of ghee if u wish.I’ve given my mom version in the “Notes” section.Do try any method based on your liking.Remember pongal should be served hot to enjoy its best taste . As u all know the best side dish for pongal are coconut chutney, Tiffin Sambar  & brinjal gosthu! Ok, Lets see how to make ven pongal aka ghee pongal – an awesome Breakfast recipe !

I have uploaded a full video recipe for your reference.Hope u will find it useful.

Ven pongal recipe video

Ven pongal recipe

How to make Ven pongal/Ghee pongal recipe easily using pressure cooker - One pot method

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Breakfast Recipes

Serves: Serves 3

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1cup = 200 ml Raw rice – 1 cup Moong dal –1 tbsp Water – 4.5 - 5 cups (depends on rice) Ghee – 2 –3 tbsp Pepper corns – 1/2 tsp Jeera – 2 tsp Ginger – 1 inch piece ( finely chopped) Hing/Asafetida - a pinch Curry leaves – few Cashew – 5 nos (break into half)

METHOD

Take raw rice & moong dal in a bowl and wash it twice. Set aside.Chop the ginger and take it along with pepper,cumin seeds & curry leaves. Heat  1 tbsp of ghee in a pressure cooker base.When the ghee starts to heat,add the pepper corns and saute well till it starts to splutter.Keep the flame medium to avoid burning of ghee.As soon as the pepper splutters,add the cumin seeds,curry leaves,cashews and ginger bits.Mix well quickly without changing the color of cumin seeds.Add 4.5-5 cups of water and required salt. When the water starts to roll boil,add the washed rice+dal mixture.Close the cooker.When the steam comes from the nozzle,put the whistle and simmer the flame.Cook till one whistle.It takes 12-15 minutes.Switch off the flame and let the steam release. Open the cooker and mash everything well with a ladle.Lastly add 1 tbsp of ghee,mix well and serve immediately.Enjoy with coconut chutney or gosthu ! Add more ghee if making for guests :))

Note

If u r making for guests , add one more tbsp of ghee at the end before serving… Usually vanaspati / Dalda is added in restaurants. But we all know its bad for health.. So its better to use cooking oil & ghee combination as it is low in calories too… The quantity of water completely depends on the quality of rice. My mom adds roasted pepper powder on top of pongal along with jeera and other things to get more spicy taste. As we don’t eat whole pepper corns ,she follows this way to include pepper in our food..   Adding hing and ginger gives a restaurant touch. U can replace ginger bits with ginger paste or grated ginger too.

Enjoy this easy  & yummy South Indian breakfast recipe with your favorite side dish !

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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Breakfast is one meal, as important as it is to get the body ready for the day ahead, that I don't typically trouble over unless I have a lazy day to indulge. I tend to plan ahead and have healthy quick bites on hand throughout the week to nourish and keep me going — the sort of thing you can sit down and enjoy without rushing and without fussing. Muffins are always a good choice, as I stay away from sugary, overly processed breakfast cereals, and as much as I enjoy porridge, I do like some variety in my diet too. Besides, muffins are an easy and satisfying take-along solution.

These moist and flavorful muffins are gluten-free, sweetened with a small amount of molasses and heightened by the inclusion of some fresh zesty ginger to complete the aromatic experience. The raisins, which are optional in this recipe, I found to be a nice contrast to the other textures and these reminded me of a really good bran muffin with a gingery twist.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on February 27, 2013 Simple, moist and gluten-free gingerbread muffins loaded with spice flavor Print this recipe Dry ingredients: 1 cup cornmeal 2/3 cup brown rice flour 1/3 cup quinoa flour 1/4 cup besan (chickpea) flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Other ingredients: 2 large eggs 1 cup yogurt or milk and yogurt 1/2 cup molasses 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger 1/3 cup oil (I used grape seed oil) dash of vanilla (optional) 1/3 to 1/2 cup raisins (optional) Instructions: Grease 12 standard size muffin cups and preheat an oven to 375°. In a large bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, yogurt (or milk and yogurt) and molasses. Stir in the ginger, oil, vanilla if using, and raisins if using. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisk in the wet ingredients until just combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the muffins are lightly browned and set. Let sit in the pan for a few minutes after removing from the oven and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 muffins

More gingerbread ideas from Lisa's Kitchen:
Pumpkin Gingerbread Waffles
Guinness Gingerbread Cake
Fresh Gingerbread with Lemon Icing

MIXED VEGETABLE PORIYAL/PODIMAS

This is a very simple poriyal recipe made with a combination of vegetables..It tastes great with sambar sadam ..We call this as cabbage podimas..I make this podimas mostly during occasions as this recipe don’t have onions.The addition of moong dal & grated coconut gives the taste..Sometimes i make the same adding onions.It tastes good in either way..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Cabbage – 1 cup (finely chopped) Carrot , beans, peas -  1 cup (chopped) Big onion – 1 no (finely chopped) (optional) Ginger – 1 inch piece (finely chopped) Moong dal – 3 tbsp Grated coconut – 1/2 cup Green chillies – 2- 3 nos (finely chopped) Curry leaves & coriander leaves – few Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Salt & water – As needed

METHOD

In a wide bowl ,cook the finely chopped carrot , beans , peas & cabbage till its half cooked..Pressure cook moong dal separately till it blossoms. Heat oil in a kadai and temper with mustard seeds , curry leaves , finely chopped green chillies , ginger & onions..Saute till onions turn transparent.. Then add all the half-cooked vegetables , salt and mix well. Close it with a lid and cover cook for 10 mins in low flame. Mix well in between.. Once all the veggies are completely cooked , add the grated coconut & coriander leaves..Mix well & switch off the flame..

NOTE Please cook all the vegetables till its half done. Do not over cook them.. I added slit green chilly for my daughter .The original recipe used finely chopped green chillies.. Add the mentioned amount of grated coconut to get the actual taste. Coriander leaves is also a must..Adding ginger removes the raw smell of cabbage. But its purely optional..

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Creamy Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup

Think of this creamy dish as a vegan alternative to chicken noodle soup. Here chicken stays on the farm, where it belongs, and succulent and earthy mushrooms are the meaty component. Throw in some fresh bean sprouts and some rice noodles and you have a silky, comforting bowl of soup to be enjoyed anytime of year. Red curry paste is, of course, an essential component of this and so many other Thai dishes. You can use store-bought curry pastes if you like, but nothing beats the fresh taste of homemade curry paste — take a little time to make your own batch and you'll have plenty to keep on hand for weeks afterwards in the refrigerator.

The recipe I present here is pretty faithful to what I did in the kitchen, but the quantities are rather approximate because there is always room to add more or less of what you desire. Cooking is not an exact science but a work of art in progress and each dish should be approached with a view to satisfying your culinary urges and well being.

Creamy Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Thai Published on February 25, 2013 Thick, creamy and comforting mushroom soup with gentle Thai flavors and coconut milk Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 oz (14 g) dried mushrooms 1 1/2 cups hot water 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 shallots, sliced into small rounds 1-inch piece fresh ginger or galangal, minced or grated 1 medium carrot, diced 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and cut into strips   3 cups fresh mixed mushrooms (I used enoki, button and oyster), sliced a few generous handfuls of bean sprouts 3 1/2 cups (2 14 oz or 400 ml cans) coconut milk 2 to 3 cups vegetable stock or water 1 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce 1 to 2 teaspoons sweetener (optional) a few pinches of paprika 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste handful of kaffir lime leaves (optional)   1 1/2 to 2 cups uncooked rice noodles juice from two limes (3 tablespoons) generous handful of fresh parsley 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped for garnish Instructions: Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop. Heat the oil over medium-heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. When hot, toss in the shallots, ginger, carrot and lemongrass and stir for a few minutes. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the fresh and dried mushrooms to the pan. Stir for a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Add splashes of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid to the pan to keep the vegetables and mushrooms from sticking. Now add a portion of the bean sprouts, stir, and pour in the coconut milk, the remaining reserved mushroom soaking liquid and 2 cups of the vegetable stock or water. Stir in the tamari, sweetener if using, paprika, curry paste and lime leaves if using. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the soup begins to thicken. Add more bean sprouts to the pan, stir and simmer for another minute or so. Now stir in the rice noodles, turn off the heat and cover the pan. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the lemongrass and add more vegetable stock or water as desired. Stir in the lime juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and stir in more curry paste if desired. Serve piping hot in bowls and garnish with the scallions and a few bean sprouts. Makes 6 servings

More Thai dishes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Thai Green Curry Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Thai Coconut Mango Quinoa Salad
Massaman Curry with Paneer Cheese

On the top of the reading stack: various selections

Audio Accompaniment: Vladislav Delay

Vegetarian Chili with Kidney Beans, Black Beans and Rye Berries

Perhaps I should call this dish "Fire in a Bowl". I drafted this recipe on a chilly afternoon and when I got to making it, well, I guess I was quite liberal with the spices and chilies. Writing up the recipe here, I have adjusted the ingredients, but of course feel free to cut down on the heat according to your preference. It was delicious and warming all the same, with a wonderful added chewy texture from the cooked rye berries. Fresh herbs certainly add a bit of flare to dishes like this, but dried herbs will work just fine too. Serve with some yogurt and sprinkle with some fresh grated Cheddar cheese as desired. This fusion-style Mexican-Indian dish also goes well with homemade tortilla chips.

Vegetarian Chili with Kidney Beans, Black Beans and Rye Berries

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on February 23, 2013 Rich, hearty, warming and nourishing spicy vegetarian chili with kidney beans, black beans, rye berries, vegetables and fresh herbs Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried red kidney beans 1/2 cup dried black beans 1/2 cup rye berries 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 dried whole red chilies, broken into pieces 3 to 4 red or green chilies or jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced 2 medium carrots, sliced 5 cups water 6 sun-dried tomatoes 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon asafetida (optional) 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, seeds removed (optional) 2/3 cup frozen corn 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped (1 teaspoon dried) 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (1 teaspoon dried) 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the beans and rye berries and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, dried and fresh chilies or jalapeños, garlic, ginger and carrots, and stir for 3 to 4 minutes to soften the onions. Add the soaked beans and rye berries and pour in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. Meanwhile, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and chop. When the beans are tender, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, spices and tamarind paste to the pot, and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Toss in the corn, simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the parsley, oregano and thyme. Simmer for another few minutes, and then remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings

More chili recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce
Cornmeal-Crusted Chili
Southwest Vegetarian Chili
Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce with Shredded Paneer (Rajma)

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE RECIPE

This is our favourite rice..When my husband was in US for a short period , he used to have this rice for lunch in which the quantity of vegetables was more than rice.. After he came from there , he told me to make fried rice adding more vegetables than rice.I started making the same way and it made the rice more healthy.I used to add ajinomotto but after knowing its ill effects i stopped using it..But It din’t make any difference in taste and flavour.The only part i feel lazy/difficult is to chop the vegetables finely .Otherwise its an easy to make dish.. It will come out very flavourful too.. Make sure u add all these vegetables to get the exact taste of fried rice..

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 200ml

Basmati rice – 1/2 cup Water – 3/4 cup Vegetables [cabbage , carrot (2 nos) , beans ( 5nos) , potato (2 nos) ] – 1.5 cups (finely chopped) Cooking oil – 2 tbsp Big onion – 1 no (chop finely) Ginger -  2 tsp (-do-) Garlic – 2 tsp (-do-) Capsicum – 1/2 no (-do-) Spring onion – 1/4 bunch Soya sauce – 1/4 tsp White pepper powder – 1/2 tsp Sugar – 1/2 tsp Salt – As needed

METHOD

Wash and soak the rice in water in for 30 minutes. Mean while chop all the vegetables finely.For spring onion , cut the stem part & leaves part separately.. Pressure cook the rice adding a drop of oil .. Rice should be separate & fluffy. Spread the rice in a plate and cool down completely.. In a wide kadai , heat oil till it slightly fumes ..Now add all the finely chopped vegetables including onions ,capsicum, stem of spring onions ,ginger & garlic pieces.. I don’t follow any order..I just add everything together.. Add sugar, salt and toss in high flame for 2-3 minutes by mixing continuously.Keep stirring , adjust the flame to low if necessary..Adding sugar helps to maintain the color of vegetables and salt helps to sauté quickly. .After the vegetables shrink into half , add soya sauce, rice and mix well.Mix well and add white pepper powder.Toss for few seconds and switch off the flame..Garnish with leaves part of spring onions..

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Indian-Style Potato and Pea Salad with Tamarind and Chat Masala

This potato salad is probably not what many of us would think of when a potato salad makes its appearance on the dinner table. Often we envision Mom's famous potato salad with eggs, mayonnaise and paprika, perhaps, and some green onion. Don't get me wrong — I loved my Mom's classic potato salad and it was always a favorite of mine. Potato salads can however be dressed up further and this one might even be considered a sort of sweet potato and white potato hash with peas and spices. Tangy, spicy and slightly sweet, this dish is a welcome surprise with a variety of textures in each bite — I am quite content to grace it with a salad label. It's vegan friendly too.

Serve this one warm or chilled.

Indian-Style Potato and Pea Salad with Tamarind and Chat Masala

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 1,000 Indian Recipes Cuisine: Indian Published on February 20, 2013 Colorful, tangy and zesty fried potato and sweet potato salad with peas, tamarind, chat masala and Indian spices Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g or 2 large) potatoes 1/2 lb (225 g or 1 large) sweet potatoes 3 to 4 tablespoons tamarind paste 1 teaspoon chat masala 3 tablespoons oil 1 cup fresh or frozen and slightly defrosted peas* 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste 1/4 teaspoon amchoor (optional) pinch or two of asafetida (optional) 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste handful of fresh parsley, chopped 2 to 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced *Note: if using fresh peas, boil slightly ahead of time until just tender. Instructions: Begin by roasting the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a 400° oven. Bake until fork tender — about 45 minutes depending on the size of your vegetables. Let cool. While the potatoes are cooling, combine the tamarind paste with some hot water, whisk with a fork and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Push the pulp through a strainer and whisk with a teaspoon of the soaking water. Set aside. When the potatoes and sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds and slice the potatoes lengthwise into roughly 1-inch strips. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, gently transfer the potatos to the pan and fry, stirring occasionally, until both sides are golden brown — about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool until you can handle the potatoes, and then cut into smaller pieces. In the same pan, stir and fry the peas for a few minutes. Stir in the tamarind, ginger, spices, salt and fresh parsley. Transfer the potatoes back to the pan and gently stir to coat. Cook for a another few minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated throughout. Transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and garnish with chopped green onion. Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 servings

More potato salad recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Pesto and Potato Egg Salad
Mexican-Style Potato Salad With Avocado and Jalapeño
Warm Baby Potato and Pea Salad

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KAMARKAT | கமர் கட்டு

We all would have tasted  Kamar kat , thean mittai , javvu mittai , elandha vadai etc in our young age from petty shops and nowadays we don’t find this easily in the market . Our kids don’t have even any idea about it..So to make our kids savour its taste & to satisfy our cravings , i tried this recipe from my MIL’s old cookbook collections.To my surprise , the recipe was given using microwave which made me very happy to try.This is a very simple recipe which has only coconut & jaggery.The consistency of jaggery syrup is very important here.If the consistency is right , u’ll get this color , otherwise u wont.The size of kamar kat is of big gooseberry size.But i made it smaller to get 10 balls .I used microwave high (800w) setting in this recipe. Based on ur oven settings , please change the time.I made this for three times consecutively and i got it right in the third time..I made in very small quantity which yielded around 10 pieces..Try the same quantity (including the water) i mentioned here to get the best result.. I have given the stove top method in the notes section ..But I prefer microwave .. .. It came out very flavourful & tasty with the smell of coconut & jaggery..Though it gave a good exercise to the jaws , its worthy to taste . Do try n let me know how u liked it..

INGREDIENTS

 1 cup - 200ml

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup Grated jaggery – 3/4 cup Water – 1/8 cup Cardamom powder -  1/8 tsp ( 1-2 seeds ) Ghee – 1 tsp Rice flour – 1 tbsp (to coat the kamarkat )

METHOD

Grate the coconut and grind in the mixie once to break the small pieces .. Take the ghee in a microwave safe bowl and melt it by keeping for 20 seconds in microwave high power (800w) ..Remove the bowl and add the coconut gratings.. Mix well and again keep in high power for 1 minute to roast the coconut..Coconut will be turned slightly brown in color..Keep it aside & allow it to cool completely.. Now in a microwave bowl ( choose a big bowl) , take 1/8 cup of water  and heat it for 1 min in high power..When the water is boiled , add the grated jagggery , mix well and again keep in microwave for 1 minute for the jaggery to melt completely..Strain the jaggery to remove the impurities.. Again microwave the strained jaggery syrup in high power for 2 minutes & 20 seconds to bring the hard ball consistency.. ( ie , when u drop the syrup in a plate of water , u should be able to roll a hard ball and when u drop the ball , u should get a “tung” sound.. The ball should look glossy.. Usually we make this syrup to make chikkis/kadalai mittai) .. The time i have mentioned here is perfect when u keep in 800w power. If ur microwave has less watts settings , please increase the timing in seconds and check it. This step is very, very important..Please keep an eye after 2 minutes and increase the time by 10 seconds to get the consistency.. Now add the roasted coconut , cardamom powder and keep in microwave high for 1 minute 30 seconds .. Remove the mixture for every 30 seconds , mix well and again keep it..After 1.30 minutes , the mixture will be slightly thick and it will leave the sides and non sticky to touch.U’ll be able to roll it.. Now transfer the entire contents into a plate and make balls , coat in rice flour and keep aside. Allow it to cool completely. It will become hard.. Store in a box n enjoy  !!

NOTE

For stove top method , melt a tsp of ghee in  a pan and roast the grated coconut till u get a nice aroma & slight brown color..In a bowl, take the grated jaggery along with little water just to cover it..Melt the jaggery and strain to remove the impurities. Again heat the syrup, it will become frothy & thick. After few minutes , pour a drop of syrup in a plateful of water. U should be able to roll a hard ball & makes a tung sound when dropped.. Now add the roasted coconut & again keep the bowl in the flame & keep on mixing it. At one stage , the mixture become thick & it leaves the sides. When the ,mixture is still warm , grease ur hands with oil and make tight balls.Roll in rice flour & set aside.. Follow the same for all the balls. Rolling in rice flour prevents sticking of kamarkat with each other when kept in bottles.. Rolling in rice flour is very important to avoid the sticking of balls with each other.. My MIL told me to use even lesser coconut than the above quantity..U can use 2 tbsp too. It will be enough..

  

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