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Varagu pongal
Kodo millet pongal
Varagu pongal (வரகு பொங்கல்): kodo millet and moong dal cooked soft with black pepper, cumin and ghee
Ven pongal, the peppery rice and dal porridge, is the Sunday breakfast of Tamil Nadu and the prasadam handed out at temples; in Chennai homes that have turned to millets, kodo millet (varagu) now often takes the rice's place. It cooks into the same soft, creamy mass with yellow moong dal, scented with crushed black pepper, cumin, ginger and curry leaves fried in a modest spoon of ghee, and is eaten with coconut chutney and sambar. A portion is about 280 kcal, far less ghee than the temple version. The mistake people make is serving it too thick; pongal firms up fast as it cools, so make it looser than you think. Chef's tip: crush the peppercorns coarsely in a mortar rather than grinding them fine; you want little bursts of heat in each spoonful.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 oz kodo millet (varagu)rinsed well
- 2 ⅛ oz split yellow moong dalrinsed
- 3 ¾ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
For the tempering
- 1 ½ tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp black peppercornscoarsely crushed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¾ in fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetidagluten-free
- 8 cashews (optional)halved
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 2 ⅛ oz split yellow moong dal in a pressure cooker or heavy pot over a medium heat for 2 minutes, until it smells toasty.
2 minStep 2: Add 4 oz kodo millet (varagu), 3 ¾ cups water and 1 tsp salt. Pressure-cook for 4 whistles (about 12 minutes) and let the pressure drop naturally, or simmer covered in a pot for 25 minutes, stirring often, until the millet and dal are completely soft.
25 minStep 3: Mash well with a ladle until creamy. If it is stiff, stir in hot water until it falls slowly from the ladle.
1 minStep 4: For the tempering, warm 1 ½ tbsp ghee in a small pan over a medium-low heat. Add 8 cashews (if using) and fry until golden, then add 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ¾ in fresh ginger, 10 curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida and stir for 30 seconds, until the cumin darkens and the leaves crisp.
2 minStep 5: Pour the tempering into the pongal and stir through. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does varagu pongal take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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