Katte pongali or Venn pongal is a savory rice and lentils dish that is very popular in South Indian cuisine. It is a one pot meal that is hearty and comforting. My mom used to make it for breakfast/ brunch. But I make it as a meal for any time of the day. It is also a perfect dish to make during dasara or any other Indian festival. This is a easy to make recipe that takes about 10 minutes of hands on time. I use the instant pot because it is so much easier and more convenient. The use of ghee gives the dish its characteristic flavor and taste. In addition to this savory version, a sweet pongal is also made with jaggery. Both of these ghee laden rice dishes are served as prasad (offering) to devotees in Hindu temples.
Ingredients
This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients: Rice - I use sona masoori variety. You can use other short or medium grain rice. Do not use aromatic variety like basmati or jasmine. Moong dal - you can use either split, skinned or split without skin. Traditionally it is made with split, skinned moong dal and that is what I usually use. Ghee - adds a lot of flavor to this dish. But if you are vegan, then feel free to use oil. Other ingredients you need are:
Peppercorns & cumin seeds Ginger, green chilies and curry leavesHing, turmeric and saltCashews (optional)
Instructions
Traditionally Pongal is made in a pressure cooker or in a pan. But I have found that the Instant pot works the best for me as it is hands free. I can set it up and go about doing other stuff. Here’s how I make it in an Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot on ‘Saute’ mode. Add the moong dal and rice to the pot and roast for 2~3 minutes or until fragrant. Turn off the instant pot and remove rice and dal into a sieve and wash well under water. Return them to the Instant pot and add turmeric, salt and water. Set it on ‘Manual/ Pressure cook’ and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. In the meantime, coarsely grind peppercorns and cumin seeds and set aside. In a small pan, heat ghee and oil on medium heat. Add the freshly ground pepper-cumin powder, hing, grated ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1~2 minutes or until fragrant. Add this tempering to the cooked rice and dal. Mix well to combine. At this point, if the pongal looks too thick, then add ½~1 cup of water to get to a porridge like consistency. Serve hot with chutney or sambar or plain yogurt.
Tips
I recommend using short or medium grain rice. Avoid using basmati or jasmine or other aromatic variety.Use a combination of water and milk to make a creamy and soft pongal.To make in a pressure cooker, follow the same process but cook for 3~4 whistles.Vegetables like carrot, onion, potato, green peas etc. can be added to make this a wholesome meal.
Few more south Indian recipes to try:
Tomato Moong dalCurd Rice | DaddojanamPalakura Punukulu (Spinach lentil fritters)Mysore KuzhambuVankaya tomato pachadi (Eggplant-tomato chutney)Sorakaya kobbari karam (bottle gourd in coconut curry)
