Pongal

[hehehewalrus]

hi,
This is my method of preparing venn Pongal. It turns out slightly dry.
Take 3 cups of rice and 1 cup of moong dhal and pressure cook it in 4 cups of water. Add salt to the water. Since I used normal rice, i shred it a few seconds in the blender. In a pan, heat up ghee and add curryleaf, cashewnuts, pepper corns and jeera. Transfer the rice-dal mixture once ready and mix. Turned out quite well though little bit dry.

Tamil Nadu style pongal is on the drier side and kerala pongal is thoroughly semi-solid. In between taste will be fine. Can anyone say where I am going wrong? Please share your personal methods of preparation.

[hehehewalrus]

I think 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice-dal mixture is quite less. Is it ok to add some milk to the cooker mixture?

[Tharuna]

hi hehehewalrus,
i think the best ratio for pongal is 1 cup of raw rice (tastes better than parboiled rice) and half a cup of moong dal. u can dry fry the moong dal and add 3 cups of water.
add ghee to the mixture(beforecooking)and pressure cook it. jus try this and let me know

[padmasini]

You can also add 1/2 to 1 cup of milk. The taste will be heavenly.

[shreya23]

i never knew that you could add milk to prepare pongal !

http://enveetusamayal.blogspot.com/

[hehehewalrus]

thanks tharuma, padmasini. I followed both ur advice and it turned out much tastier and enjoyable :)

But i am still looking for a good sambhar recipe that goes well with the pongal - i cant make coconut chutney since there is no indian store for coconuts nearby.

[hehehewalrus]

hi, I would like to make sweet pongal. Is my understanding correct that the jaggery mentioned in recipes refers to Vellum?
If so, I have no access to vellum. Is there an alternative to it? :(

[dev]

HHHW,

as far as my knowledge goes, we add 'karumbu sakkarai' for sweet pongal... If it is not available ,u can use any of the unrefined sugar(brown ones) varieties but there will be some difference in the taste...

[MysoreHudugi]

You can try using Brown sugar (dark one) instead of vellam if you cannot get vellam. Taste won't be the same, but pretty close.

CI.

[hehehewalrus]

thanks mysore hudugi. Will it be available in walmart? can u recommend a specific brand?

[rajraj]

walrus: You can get vellum in hispanic stores or any international store.

[rajraj]

walrus: My wife says she used C&H Pure Cane sugar (golden brown). You have to use more than vellum. She says she adds some refined sugar also. You can get C&H sugar in any grocery store.

[MysoreHudugi]

You can buy any store brand brown sugar. As someone mentioned earlier, you will have to put a little more than what you would put if you were using vellam. Generic brand that can be bought all over the U.S is Dominos brand. (They have sugar, light and dark brown sugar, confectioners sugar everything).

I have used various brands and haven't felt any difference. Ofcourse you will be paying a lot less if you buy store brand products.

Hope this helps.

CI.

[hehehewalrus]

thanks very much rajraj adn mysore hudugi.

[hehehewalrus]

i made sweet pongal(without the raisins) this weekend and it turned out nice, thanks a lot rr and MH. :)
Anyone knows in what form or brand raisins may be obtained from walmart? a friend suggested California Raisins

[MysoreHudugi]

California raisins will do. But if you can get golden raisins, go for it. That resembles indian raisins more than california raisins. But california raisins are ok too. Sun maid are the best.


CI.