Ven pongal is a very popular and famous breakfast of Tamil Nadu . It is a very simple and an easy recipe which can be done in a jiffy. It tastes great with coconut chutney, sambar and arachuvitta sambar. Now that Pongal falls on the 15th of this month, many will be preparing both sakkarai pongal and ven pongal. I have already posted the recipe for sakkarai pongal, so here I am with the Ven pongal recipe. I have earlier posted a quick sambar recipe which goes well with pongal, idli, vadai and dosa. Today I am sharing another sambar recipe which also goes well with ven pongal.They both are made for each other.
Ven Pongal with Sambar

Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Serves: 3-4
Recipe Category: Breakfast
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Raw rice - 1 cup
Green gram dal(split yellow ones)/pasi parupu/moong dal- 1/2 cup
Water - 5 cups
Salt as required
For the Ven Pongal seasoning
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 2 1/2 tbsp
Whole black pepper -1 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds/jeera -1 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Curry leaves - a sprig
Cashew nuts - 5-7
For the Sambar
Onion -2
Tomato -2
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Salt as required
Vegetables for sambar
Brinjal - 1 medium size
Potato - 1 medium size
Carrot - 1
Seasoning for sambar
Oil - 2 tsp
Hing/asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal -3/4 tsp
Curry leaves -a sprig
Serves: 3-4
Recipe Category: Breakfast
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Raw rice - 1 cup
Green gram dal(split yellow ones)/pasi parupu/moong dal- 1/2 cup
Water - 5 cups
Salt as required
For the Ven Pongal seasoning
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ghee - 2 1/2 tbsp
Whole black pepper -1 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds/jeera -1 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Curry leaves - a sprig
Cashew nuts - 5-7
For the Sambar
Onion -2
Tomato -2
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Salt as required
Vegetables for sambar
Brinjal - 1 medium size
Potato - 1 medium size
Carrot - 1
Seasoning for sambar
Oil - 2 tsp
Hing/asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal -3/4 tsp
Curry leaves -a sprig

Preparation
Dry roast rice and dal separately till it becomes slightly hot. Do not fry till dal changes color.
Wash and pressure cook rice + dal together with 5 cups of water, adding needed salt for 4 whistles. You can also cook directly in the cooker but take care not to burn the rice and dal.
Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and mash the dal and rice nicely when it is hot and keep it aside. Check for salt, if needed, add and mix it well.
I have used old rice, if you are using new rice, add 4 cups of water. The quantity of water differs according to the type of rice used. The point to be noted is - the rice + dal mixture should be cooked in such a way that it should be mushy.
Heat a tsp ghee and fry the cashew nuts until golden brown. Keep it aside.
Slightly crush half of pepper and jeera - or grind half of it in the blender just for a second. You can even add peppercorns and cumin seeds as such but I personally prefer to crush half of it slightly and add the remaining as such for more flavor.
Method
Heat ghee + oil in a pan/kadai, add finely chopped ginger, pepper + jeera, saute for a few minutes, then add curry leaves and saute for a few more seconds.
Add mashed rice + dal mixture, fried cashew nuts and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve hot with sambar or coconut chutney.
SAMBAR FOR PONGAL
This is a very simple and quick sambar which goes well with pongal.

Preparation
Chop all the vegetables including onion and tomato finely. Wash and peel the skin of carrot and potato and then chop finely.
Take a pressure pan, add chopped carrots, potato, brinjal, moong dal and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Keep it aside.
Method
Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan, add hing (perungayam in Tamil) and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds sizzle, add urad dal and curry leaves.
When urad dal turns golden brown, add finely chopped onions. Saute till it becomes transparent.
Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes become mushy.
Add sambar powder, pressure cooked vegetables + dal mix, needed salt, 1 cup of water and boil on medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Note - This sambar should be watery, so adjust water accordingly.
Serve Ven pongal hot with piping hot sambar. Simply heaven!!
Check step by step recipe for Khara Pongal/ven ponga here.
Meet you all again with more interesting recipes and tips, till then it is bye from Padhu of Padhuskitchen. Do try it and give your feedback.
So cute face...ven pongal is so healthy :)
ReplyDeletetasty pongal and delicious sambar recipe padhu..
ReplyDeleteI love the way you present your dishes. Both pongal and sambhar looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteVenpongal and sambar looks delicious. Padhu
ReplyDeletelovely and tasty braekfast presentation with faces are ery nice
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGreat combo and looks delicious, love that pretty faces too...
ReplyDeletehttp://treatntrick.blogspot.com
so cute face..lovely presentation...so healthy dish!
ReplyDeleteMy all time favourite venpongal,lovely and cute presentation..
ReplyDeleteSuch acute presentation and delicious pongal.
ReplyDeleteNice recipe..reminds me of my chennai times..Wish u n ur family happy & prosperous 2011!!
ReplyDeleteLove the cuties and the Venn Pongal..Time to make it soon..
ReplyDeleteGayu
http://ensamayalarangam.blogspot.com
Hearty and healthy meal... love the pongal bunnies :)
ReplyDeleteCute pongal looks very delicious. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeletethat's my favourite....my mom makes it damn well...luv it!!!....cute pics:)
ReplyDeletehealthy pongal.....nice presentation....
ReplyDeleteWOW THAT LOOKS SO CUTE AND DELICIOUS
ReplyDeleteyummy ! loved the faces !!
ReplyDeleteHi! And thanks for stopping at STB! Ven pongal used to be a staple when I was growing up at mom's. Must try making it myself! Never ate it with sambar though, that's new!
ReplyDeleteYummy ven pongal and sambar.
ReplyDeleteLove this combo....
ReplyDeletelooks delicious dear :)
Lovely combination & my family all time favorite too....Thanks for stopping at my page...
ReplyDeletelove your presentation,its really a great talent.
ReplyDeleteWow, this looks so scrumptious
ReplyDeleteI have never had anything like this. It sounds delicious and I would love to try it. I love the cute characters you shaped it into. This would be so great for kids:)
ReplyDeletevery cute,kids will love this for sure
ReplyDeleteLove your presentation and the dish.
ReplyDeleteA healthy pongal for dhanur masam and a good heavy breakfast for good health..
ReplyDeleteCute faces of bear, bunny and duck... healthy and delicious combo.
ReplyDeletewow cute presentation and yummy pongal
ReplyDeleteDear padhu
ReplyDeleteHow are you?
Thanks for this nice recipe. I love pongol and going to try it in a day or two.
Let me see what dishes I have missed
Have a nice week
Padhu, wish you and your family happy and prosperous new year....Loved the little cute creatures...
ReplyDeleteyUMMY PONGAL AND SUCH A LOVELY PRESENTATION pADHU...
ReplyDeleteGood Presentation... :)
ReplyDeleteI love this recipe..
my fav pongal, cute presentation
ReplyDeletethat is a neat presentation with wonderful recipe...
ReplyDeleteThat makes me nostalgic! SO reminds me of India. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGud great creative mind
ReplyDeleteYour receipe as very helpfull.thank uuuiiuuiu
ReplyDeleteDeivame you r really helping for ppl living abroad who is dying for south indian food.. Thanks a lot
ReplyDeletehi padhu one of my friend name is padhu. i love all ur dishes and the way u present it. very cute and lovely
ReplyDeletePadhu thanks a lot my lover impressed she loves me now.... thank u a lot I loving it....pongal vazhga
ReplyDeleteThanks for your recipe.. i tried same.. pongal and sambar... it gives me amazing taste.... Thanks once again...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the super easy recipes....simple yet yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteWonder If I can use par-boiled rice.. I am going to try that. And how about brown rice?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for the recipe, how many people would this recipe serve. I will be cooking for 20 people, and will need to proportion accordingly. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe serves 3-4.
DeleteSo cute face for pongal....lookn yummy
ReplyDeleteHi, Namasthe. I tried this recipe today and it came out very well. Regarding your reply to Su, I think, 1 cup of rice & 1 cup of dal might serve 2 persons.
ReplyDeleteHappy to know that the pongal turned out well. 1 cup rice and 1/2 cup dal serves 2 persons.
DeleteYummy pongal..
ReplyDeleteI wish there is a app for ur site , because ur site is my goto place for cooking and that's how I google it. Like ur presentation as much as ur cooking.all ur receipes have been a success in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteMight be a stupid question. Should I dry roast the dal after washing it ?
ReplyDeleteDry roast it and then wash it. I have written clearly under preparation.
DeleteHow long to pressure cook rice n dal?
ReplyDeleteYou can cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
DeleteI tried sambhar recipe and it came out very well.
ReplyDeleteThank u
Hi Padhu..I tried ven pongal with exact measurements and it came out well..I added one slitted reen chilli for extra spiciness.. while sauting..
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Can i use thur dal instead of moving dal for the sambar?
ReplyDeleteYou can use tur dal. In that case, you have to cook tur dal separately and add. You cannot add with vegetable like moong dal as it will not get cooked.
DeleteI tried sambar ven pongal and it come out very well
ReplyDeletePadhu, if I cook it in a vessel instead of direct pressure cooker, how much water to be added in cooker and how much in vessel? (5 cups in vessel with rice?)
ReplyDeleteWater is the same measurement whichever way you cook.But when cooking directly in the cooker, see to it that it does not get burnt.
DeleteHai padhu madam which rice can i use for pongal ....
ReplyDeleteUse regular rice used for cooking. I have used ponni variety raw rice.
DeleteYou are my one stop shop for all things related to cooking!!! I have tried this sure fire recipe several times and it has been a success every single time! Continue to inspire us... =D
ReplyDeleteHi Padhu... Can I do this recipe with Sona Masoori rice variety ?
ReplyDeleteYou can use sona masoori rice to make pongal.
DeleteFor the sambar, whether will it taste good if I add few drops of tamarind pulp ?
ReplyDeleteYes, you can add few drops of tamarind pulp.
DeleteCan I do this recipe with Puzhungal rice? If so please tell water measurement?
ReplyDeleteHi! Can I do this with regular cooking rice instead of raw rice? If so please tell water measurements. And can I grate Ginger instead of chopping it?
ReplyDeleteYou can do with any rice or millets. Water measurements change according to the quality and variety of rice. Yes you can grate ginger but I feel it will be too strong. I prefer chopping it into fine pieces.
Delete