• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Whisk Affair
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Indian Recipes
  • Meal Type
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Appetizers
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
  • My Cookbook
    • My E-Books
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Eid Specials
  • Buy my Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Rice » Ven Pongal

    Published: Mar 4, 2021 | Last Updated On: Mar 4, 2021 by Neha Mathur | This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ven Pongal

    108 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Ven Pongal is a South Indian-style porridge made using rice and yellow moong lentils. Pongal can be made sweet or savory. The savory version is called ven pongal or khara pongal and the sweet one is called sakkarai pongal. Make this protein-packed dish in 30 minutes in a traditional pressure cooker or instant pot.

    If you like South Indian cuisine, then try these recipes too – Cabbage Pachadi, Mullangi Sambar, Mor Kuzhambu, and Salna.

    Ven Pongal served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step By Step Recipe
    • Pro Tips By Neha
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to Make Ven Pongal in Instant Pot
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You might also like
    • Recipe Card

    About This Recipe

    Pongal is a popular South Indian style porridge made using short-grain rice, yellow moong lentils, and a few spices. It can be made sweet or savory. The savory version is called ven pongal or khara pongal and the sweet one is called sakkari pongal.

    I have a detailed post about Sakkarai Sweet Pongal, so do check it out. In today’s post, we will talk about the savory version that is Ven Pongal.

    Ven Pongal, also called Khara Pongal is a super flavorful and comforting savory dish that is made for festivals (especially Sankranti or Pongal festival) and auspicious days. It is also offered as naivedhyam (offerings) to god in homes and temples.

    Apart from festivals, it is also made for everyday meals as it is light on the stomach and is very easy to make too. You can call it a variation of North Indian Khichdi.

    It can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner along with side dishes like coconut chutney, sambar, or gotsu. To keep things light, I like to serve it with plain yogurt and papad.

    Every home in South India has its own way of preparing this recipe. There is Iyengar Style and there is Andhra Style. Temples have their own recipe to make this dish and so do the hotels.

    The only thing common is the use of rice and yellow moong dal. The proportion of dal and rice may also vary from home to home though.

    In this post, I am sharing the pongal recipe I learned from one of my neighbors in Bangalore. It’s super easy, uses very few ingredients, and tastes super delicious and comforting. You can make it in a traditional pressure cooker or instant pot. Read along!

    Ingredients

    You will find all the ingredients to make this dish in any Indian grocery store or online.

    Rice – Use any short grain flavorful rice. Jeera Samba, Sona Masri, Surti Kolam, or Indrayani are some choices.

    Traditionally pongal is made using freshly harvested rice and moong dal as they are soft and gives a gooey texture to it. But this fact should not deter you from making it with whichever rice and lentils you have at hand.

    Can we make pongal using other grains?

    You can easily replace rice with other grains like quinoa, couscous, foxtail millet, little millet, rolled oats, steel-cut oats, cracked wheat (dalia), semolina (rava), or even brown rice. Keep in consideration that cooking time might change a bit depending on the grain used. You can also use a mix of grains.

    Yellow Moong Lentil – You will need yellow moong dal (husked and split petite yellow lentils).

    Ginger – Adding fresh ginger while cooking the rice and dal, really oomphs up the flavor and seasons the dal and rice from within.

    Ghee – A ghee tempering really changes the way pongal tastes. Traditionally cow’s ghee is used to temper it, but you can use buffalo ghee too.

    Others – Other than ghee, you will need asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chili peppers, cashew nuts, and black peppercorns.

    If you want to make it gluten-free, then avoid adding asafetida in the tempering.

    Use fresh and green curry leaves for the best flavor. You can adjust green chili peppers as per your preference.

    Cashew nuts add a great crunch in the soft pongal, so do not miss on it.

    Black peppercorns are a must in this recipe. The flavors from black peppercorns really enhance the taste of a simple ven pongal. Some people add whole black peppercorns to their recipe but it gets overwhelming if you bite into one of these. I like to crush them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. This way, they make the pongla very flavorful without being too overpowering.

    Step By Step Recipe

    Ven Pongal in an Instant Pot

    Start by dry roasting the lentils. Add ½ cup yellow moong lentils to an instant pot, press “saute” and roast on medium heat until they are slightly fragrant. Keep stirring frequently. It will take 4-5 minutes. Do not roast on high heat otherwise, the lentils might burn.

    Once the lentils are roasted, add ½ cup short-grain rice to the cooker and wash the dal and rice with water 2-3 times.

    Drain and insert the pot back in the instant pot. Add 2 cups of water, salt, and ginger.

    Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.

    Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

    Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Mash the pongal until slightly creamy.

    Ven pongal in pressure cooker:

    Start by dry roasting the lentils. Add ½ cup yellow moong lentils to a pressure cooker and roast on medium heat until they are slightly fragrant. Keep stirring frequently. It will take 4-5 minutes. Do not roast on high heat otherwise, the lentils might burn.

    Once the lentils are roasted, remove the cooker from heat. Add ½ cup short-grain rice to the cooker and wash the dal and rice with water 2-3 times.

    Add 3 cups of water, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, and salt to taste to the cooker, and pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Now reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes.

    Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the lid of the cooker. Slightly mash the pongal with the back of a ladle until it is slightly mushy and creamy. Add more water if the mixture is too thick. It should have the consistency of a porridge.

    Check for salt and add more if needed. If the pongal is thick for your liking, add some boiling water to it and cook for another minute.

    Tempering the pongal

    Heat 3 tablespoon ghee in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Do not use oil for tempering and do not reduce the quantity of ghee.

    Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon asafetida, 10-12 whole curry leaves, 2 green chili peppers (slit into half), and 10-12 coarsely crushed black peppercorns, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds. Add 10-12 whole cashew nuts and fry until they are slightly browned (1-2 minutes). Keep stirring while frying.

    Note -If making it for naivedyam, add a pinch of turmeric to the tempering as white savory food is not offered to gods.

    Pour the tempering over the pongal. Give a gentle stir and simmer for a minute. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar.

    Pro Tips By Neha

    Pongal recipe tastes best when prepared fresh. Make the quantity only for one meal.

    Use any small grain rice to make it. Seeraga Samba rice is traditionally used in South Indian homes but even Sona Masuri or Parmal will do. Ideally, newly harvested dal and rice are best to make this dish as they give a creamy texture to it.

    The dal and rice ratio can be changed according to your personal preference. I like to use 50:50 dal and rice but some people use more rice and less dal.

    To save time, you can roast moong dal in bulk, cool it, and store it in an airtight container. Use it to make pongal.

    In case you have leftover, add some water to it before refrigerating. It will thicken when refrigerated and adding some water to it will take care of the consistency.

    Some people make very thick Pongal. If you like that consistency, then use little less water as mentioned below. I like the consistency a little flowy hence used 3 cups of water.

    If the pongal is watery, then cook it for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until the right consistency is achieved.

    You can add chopped vegetables like peas, carrots, etc to make this recipe healthier.

    Adding ghee and in right quantity is very important otherwise it will turn pasty.

    Some people add a little milk to their recipe. You can try it too. Add ½ cup milk once the pongal is cooked and cook it for another 5 minutes. You can even try adding some coconut milk to it.

    I have had it with a little grated fresh coconut added to it and it tastes delicious too.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is ven pongal healthy?

    This dish is made using healthy ingredients like rice, lentils and ghee. It is protein packed and gives instant energy to the body.

    How to cook pongal recipe in a rice cooker?

    If you want to cook it in a rice cooker, just roast the lentils in a pan and then add the roasted lentils, rice, water, and salt to a rice cooker. Cook until they are cooked well. Then prepare tempering in a pan and pour it over the pongal.

    Is pongal vegan?

    This recipe uses ghee tempering, which makes it non-vegan. But if you want a vegan version, you can temper it with vegetable oil instead.

    What are some of the variations of pongal?

    To make variations of pongal, rice can be replaced by millets, oats, rava (semolina), poha (flattened rice), or brown rice.

    Is pongal and khichdi same?

    Both these dishes are made using rice and lentils as their main ingredients but they are very different in taste. Khichdi is North Indian version of a savory porridge while pongal is the South Indian version. Khichdi is lighter and less spicy than ven pongal. Check out my khichdi recipe here.

    Can I cook sweet and savory pongal together?

    If you want to make both sakkarai and ven pongal, you can cook the rice and lentils for both together. Then to make the savory version, add salt and grated ginger to half of the cooked mixture and give it a tempering of ghee, curry leaves, and black pepper. To make the sweet version, add jaggery syrup to the cooked mixture and give a tempering of ghee and cashew nuts.

    How to Make Ven Pongal in Instant Pot

    I like to cook the rice and lentils in Instant pot and make the tempering in a skillet over stove top. This method gives a very authentic tasting pongal.

    Press SAUTE, and roast the lentils until fragrant. Then add rice to the pot and wash the roasted lentils and rice 2-3 times. Drain and insert the pot back in the instant pot. Add 2 cups of water, salt, and ginger. Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Mash the pongal until slightly creamy.

    Now make the tempering as mentioned in the recipe and pour it over the pongal. Serve!

    Serving Suggestions

    Khara Pongal is traditionally served on a banana leaf with coconut chutney.

    Serve it with a side of Coconut Chutney and Filter Coffee. Pongal Sambar is a very popular combination. You can also serve it with yogurt, papad, and pickle for a quick meal.

    Kootu also goes well with it. Other popular dishes to serve with this are Onion Gothsu, Kathirikai Gothsu, or Kalyana Gothsu.

    Storage Suggestions

    This dish tastes great when served hot and fresh. But in case you have leftovers, it will last for 3 to 4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

    While reheating, add a little water and adjust the consistency, as it might become a little thick and dry while refrigerating. Give it another ghee tempering after re-heating to make it fresh again.

    You might also like

    • Moong Dal Payasam or Moong Dal Kheer also called Pesara Paruppu Payasam in South India is a thick, creamy sweet dish made using Moong lentils, milk, and dry fruits. It's like a North Indian kheer made using the lentil. Here is how to make it.
      Moong Dal Payasam
    • Rava Idli is South Indian breakfast dish made using semolina. Learn to make soft, hotel style idli at home using my recipe. Here is how to make it.
      Rava Idli
    • Milagu Rasam or Pepper Rasam is a South Indian dish that is best served with rice or can be sipped as soup. It is a perfect remedy for cold and cough. Here is how to make it.
      Pepper Rasam
    • Sundal is a South Indian dish where cooked legumes are flavored with a simple tempering and mixed with freshly grated coconut. Here is a version made using Rajma for you all. Check out the recipe.
      Sundal

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Pongal is a South Indian-style porridge made using rice and yellow moong lentil. It can be made sweet or savory. The savory version is called Ven Pongal or Khara Pongal. Sharing the recipe to make the savory version below. Make this protein-packed dish in 30 minutes.

    Ven Pongal Recipe

    Ven Pongal is a South Indian-style porridge made using rice and yellow moong lentils. Make this protein-packed dish in 30 minutes in a traditional pressure cooker or instant pot.
    4.41 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 263kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients 

    • ½ cup short grain rice
    • ½ cup yellow moong lentil
    • 3 cups water
    • salt (to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon grated ginger

    For the tempering

    • 3 tablespoons ghee
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon asafetida/hing
    • 10-12 curry leaves
    • 2 green chili peppers (slit into halves)
    • 10-12 whole cashew nuts
    • 10-12 black peppercorns (coarsely ground)
    US Customary or Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Cooking rice and lentils in a traditional pressure cooker

    • Add moong lentils to a pressure cooker and roast on medium heat until they are slightly fragrant (4-5 mins). 
    • Remove the cooker from heat. Add short-grain rice to the cooker and wash the dal and rice with water 2-3 times.
    • Add 3 cups of water, grated ginger, and salt to taste to the cooker, and pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes.
    • Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and lightly mash the pongal with the back of a ladle until it is slightly mushy and creamy. Add more water if the mixture is too thick. It should have the consistency of a porridge.

    Cooking rice and lentils in instant pot

    • Press SAUTE, and roast the lentils until fragrant. Remove the insert, add rice to it and wash the roasted lentils and rice 2-3 times with water. Drain and put the insert back in the instant pot.
    • Add 2 cups of water, salt, and ginger. Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
    • Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer at high pressure for 12 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position and open the lid. Mash the pongal until slightly creamy.

    Tempering Ven Pongal

    • Heat ghee in a small skillet over medium-high heat. 
    • Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, asafetida, whole curry leaves, green chili peppers, and coarsely crushed black peppercorns, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds. Add whole cashew nuts and fry until they are slightly browned (1-2 minutes). Keep stirring while frying.
    • Pour the tempering over the pongal. Mix and simmer for a minute. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar.

    Notes

    The recipe can be doubled or tripled if making for a crowd. Use a large size pressure cooker to cook the rice and lentls.
    Pongal recipe tastes best when prepared fresh. Make the quantity only for one meal.
    Use any small grain rice to make it. Seeraga Samba rice is traditionally used in South Indian homes but even Sona Masuri or Parmal will do. Ideally, newly harvested dal and rice are best to make this dish as they give a creamy texture to it.
    In case you have leftover, add some water to it before refrigerating. It will thicken when refrigerated and adding some water to it will take care of the consistency.
    Some people make very thick Pongal. If you like that consistency, then use little less water as mentioned below. I like the consistency a little flowy hence used 3 cups of water.
    You can add chopped vegetables like peas, carrots, etc to make this recipe healthier.
    Adding ghee is very important otherwise it will turn pasty.
    Some people add a little milk to their recipe. You can try it too. Add ½ cup milk once the pongal is cooked and cook it for another 5 minutes. You can even try adding some coconut milk to it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 53.8mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2.3mg
    Pin this recipe for later use!I LOVE to see your creations so pin and mention @WhiskAffair!
    Sign up for regular updates?I would love to have you as part of my journey. Click to sign up!

    More Rice Recipes

    • This Homemade Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice will remind you of your favorite Japanese takeout. Make it quickly using a few simple ingredients.
      Homemade Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice
    • Lemon Rice (Chitranna) is a popular South Indian rice preparation where cooked rice is flavored with lemon juice and a few more simple ingredients. Try my easy recipe here (vegan, can be easily made gluten-free).
      South Indian Lemon Rice (Chitranna)
    • Made using expensive Gucchi mushrooms (Morels), this Gucchi Pulao is a flavorsome rice dish with all the goodness of Gucchi. Here is how to make it at home (vegetarian, gluten-free).
      Gucchi Pulao
    • Ellu Sadam (South Indian Sesame Rice, Til Rice) is a traditional South Indian dish prepared with rice, sesame seeds, and a few more simple ingredients. Make it using my easy recipe (vegan).
      Ellu Sadam (South Indian Sesame Rice, Til Rice)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Uma Raghuraman

      January 13, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      Ven Pongal is not only a traditional dish but also a healthy one pot meal.Pictures look absolutely stunning Neha ! Happy Sankranti to you and your family!

      Reply
      • msnehamathur

        January 14, 2016 at 2:59 am

        Thnx Uma 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey! Nice to meet you

    Neha Mathur, Founder & Recipe Expert at Whisk Affair

    Hi! I'm Neha, Blogger & Recipe Expert behind Whisk Affair. I've nurtured Whisk Affair since 2012 by trying & testing every recipe published. Be sure that it will turn out good each time! Read More about me…

    Stay Connected

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    My Cookbook

    Neha's Cookbook Cover

    Click to Buy Now on Amazon

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Make this delicious restaurant-style Hibachi Fried Rice (Japanese Style Fried Rice) for a quick Asian-inspired meal. Serve it with Hibachi chicken and Yum Yum sauce and get transported to a Japanese Steakhouse.
      Best Hibachi Fried Rice (Japanese Style Fried Rice)
    • This oven-baked lemon garlic baked tilapia is super easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes. It's low carb, gluten-free, keto-friendly, and very flavorful. Here is how to make it.
      Spicy Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia
    • Creamy Garlic Parmesan sauce served in a bowl.
      Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
    • Lemon tea served in cups.
      Lemon Tea
    • Light, hearty and delicious, Chicken Clear Soup is super easy to make at home. It is made using simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes. This soul-soothing soup is gluten-free and low carb too.
      Chicken Clear Soup
    • Egg White Scramble is a healthy, fluffy, and delicious option for breakfast. Serve it with some toast and fruits and milk on the side. Here is how to make the best fluffy scrambled egg white recipe at home!
      Scrambled Egg Whites

    Summer Mango Recipes

    • Kacche Aam Ki Launji is a sweet and spicy chutney made using tangy green mangoes, jaggery, and a few simple spices. This chutney keeps good in the refrigerator for upto 3 months. So make a big batch and enjoy!
      Kacche Aam Ki Launji (Sweet & Spicy Raw Mango Chutney)
    • Learn How To Make Mango Pulp in under 5 minutes and use it round the year to make your favorite recipes.
      How To Make Mango Pulp (Mango Puree)
    • Green mango chutney is a spicy and tangy Indian accompaniment made using green mangoes. Serve it with an Indian snack or meals for a tangy treat.
      Green Mango Chutney (Raw Mango Chutney)
    • This Easy Mango Pico De Gallo is fruity, sweet, and spicy and comes together in under 10 minutes using simple ingredients. Serve it with nachos, chips, rice, or tacos for a perfect summer special accompaniment (vegan, gluten-free).
      Easy Mango Pico De Gallo (Mango Salsa)
    • Mango Magic Tropical Smoothie is a delicious drink loaded with tropical flavors. Sip it for breakfast or for snacks (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).
      Mango Magic Tropical Smoothie
    • Aam panna is a refreshing Indian summer drink made using green mangoes. It is sweet, tangy, and bursting with beautiful flavors. Make it in an instant pot or a traditional pressure cooker.
      Aam Panna (Tangy Green Mango Drink)

    Eid Specials

    • Mohabbat ka Sharbat is a refreshing Old Delhi-style summer drink. It has flavors from watermelon and rose syrup. Here is how to make it (vegetarian, gluten-free, and can be made vegan).
      Mohabbat Ka Sharbat
    • Lachha Rabdi (Rabri) is a popular North Indian dessert made by reducing milk and flavoring it with saffron and rose water (or cardamom). Make it in an authentic way using my easy recipe.
      Authentic Lachha Rabdi (Rabri)
    • Sheer Khurma or Sheer Korma is a traditional Indian dessert that is a must-make for the festival of Eid. It is made by cooking fine vermicelli with ghee, milk, dates, and dry fruits. Saffron is added to it for a unique flavor.
      Sheer Khurma (Vermicelli Milk Dates Pudding)
    • Super crispy from the outside and juicy from the inside, these Homemade Fish Fingers are a breeze to make. You just can't go wrong with this delicious and easy recipe.
      Homemade Crispy Fish Fingers
    • Kesar Phirni or Firni is a traditional Kashmiri dessert that is made using milk and rice. This Mughlai sweet is a treat to eat and is very easy to make. Here is how to make it.
      Traditional Phirni Recipe (Firni, Indian Rice Pudding)
    • Shahi Tukda (Shahi Toast) is a Mughlai dessert made using deep-fried bread slices, reduced saffron flavored milk (rabdi), and sugar syrup. It is a perfect dessert for festivals and special occasions (vegetarian).
      Mughlai Shahi Tukda

    Footer


    ^ back to top

    About

    About Neha

    Diwali E-Book

    My Cookbook

    Stay Connected

    Sign up! for emails and updates

    Contact Me

    Policies

    Privacy Policy

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Policy

    Whiskaffair has been featured in leading media including the huffington post, bloomberg quint, buzz feed, your story and many more

    Copyright © 2022 WhiskAffair Food LLP