Good food. Less fuss.
From the EZdish collection

Ven Pongal (South Indian Savory Rice and Lentils)

South Indian · Main

A comforting and nutritious South Indian breakfast staple made with rice and yellow moong lentils, seasoned with cracked black pepper, cumin, and fresh ginger, all tempered in fragrant ghee.

EasyVegetarianGluten free
Jump to recipe
Ven Pongal (South Indian Savory Rice and Lentils) — recipe cover
35 minA little patience, a lot of flavor
Prep time10 min
Cook time25 min
Servings4 people
DifficultyEasy
Let's make something good

How to make it

7 steps. Take it one step at a time.

  1. Add the yellow moong dal

    Add the yellow moong dal to a pot or pressure cooker and dry roast on low heat for 2-3 minutes until it becomes aromatic. Do not brown it.

    3 min
  2. Add the rice to the roasted dal and wash both together thoroughly under…

    Add the rice to the roasted dal and wash both together thoroughly under running water. Drain the water.

  3. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and salt

    Add 4 1/2 cups of water and salt to the rice and dal. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame until completely soft and mushy.

    15 min
  4. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid

    Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and mash the rice-dal mixture slightly with a ladle. If it looks too dry, add a splash of hot water.

  5. Heat ghee in a small pan

    Heat ghee in a small pan for tempering. Add the cashew nuts and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove them and set aside, or keep them in the pan.

  6. Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns

    In the same hot ghee, add cumin seeds and black peppercorns. Once they sizzle, add the chopped ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Fry for 30 seconds.

    1 min
  7. Pour this aromatic tempering

    Pour this aromatic tempering over the cooked rice and dal. Mix well to combine all flavors. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

A little kitchen wisdom

For the best texture, ensure the rice and dal are cooked until very soft and mushy. Always use fresh ginger and high-quality ghee for the most authentic flavor.

What you'll need

Pressure cookerSmall frying panLadle
Keep the good going

For now. And for later.

Make it ahead

Pongal is best served fresh as it thickens significantly as it cools.

Store & enjoy

Store in an airtight container. When reheating, add a little water to restore the mushy consistency. Add hot water before reheating on the stovetop or microwave to loosen the texture.

Allergens

Contains tree nuts.

Your next favorite, all in one place

A recipe worth keeping.

Save your favorites, plan your meals, and make cooking feel easy with EZdish.

Get the app
Keep exploring

More recipes to try

An AI-created recipe from the EZdish collection. Ingredient quantities and techniques have not been independently kitchen-tested. Published on this website . Updated . First published in the EZdish collection .

Ven Pongal (South Indian Savory Rice and Lentils)
Step 1 of 7

Add the yellow moong dal

Add the yellow moong dal to a pot or pressure cooker and dry roast on low heat for 2-3 minutes until it becomes aromatic. Do not brown it.

3 min