Ven Pongal in Instant Pot

What is Pongal

After Idli and Dosa, Pongal is the most loved breakfast/snack in South Indian cuisine. There are two versions of it - sweet and savory. It gets its name from the South Indian festival Pongal. Also known as Khara (spicy) or Ghee Pongal, this porridge-like dish is mainly made with rice and lentils and is mildly seasoned.

It's is one of the simplest dishes ever! Even the seasoning is pretty basic yet extremely flavorful. It's just got ginger, peppercorns, cumin, and cashews. Ghee is another quintessential ingredient in this Pongal recipe. It makes it aromatic and elevates the flavors to another level. Vegans can of course use vegan ghee here!

The texture of this savory and spicy dish is soft and mushy similar to a porridge. You can call it the South Indian Khichdi. It is not exactly like the North Indian Khichdi because the tempering ingredients are different. The only commonality in both is that the rice and lentils are mashed.

South Indian festival

Pongal is also the first festival of the year for South Indians. Farmers pray to the Sun God for a good harvest that year. The day marks the journey of the Sun, northwards. It is a grand festival celebrated across four days in January, in Tamil Nadu, especially by the farming community signifying the end of the farming season. 

This is the season when crops like rice, sugarcane, turmeric, etc. are harvested. The term 'Ven' means white and 'Pongal' means 'to boil over in Tamil. The main dishes served on this day are Ven Pongal, Sweet/Sakkarai Pongal, and Medu Wada. On this festival day, rasam is served instead of sambhar with pumpkin poriyal.

Traditionally, Pongal is prepared in a new earthen pot with the moon and sun drawn on the outside. Turmeric leaf is tied around the pot before using it. They also use newly harvested short-grain rice and moong dal to make this Pongal because they bring out the right texture.

Ghee made from cow's milk is added to it because ghee is considered pious. It also makes the dish aromatic. In fact, the more the ghee, the better! With changing times, cooking methods have evolved. My grandma made it the traditional way, and my mom, aunts, and MIL make it in the pressure cooker.

I now make Pongal in the Instant Pot! Though I am 100% sure that the flavor of Pongal made in the earthen pot is unbeatable! This beautiful festival is ironically celebrated across India under different names - Makar Sankranti, Bihu, and Lohri during the same time of the year.

My memories of this snack

I have always loved Khara Pongal over the sweet Pongal. I can still recollect the aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee and Ven Pongal that mom would make for breakfast. For me, it's not just the Pongal but also the coconut chutney that's paired with it! I just love this combination. I make this even when I fall sick! This is my comfort food.

My visit to any South Indian restaurant is incomplete if I don't order it. In fact, this is a common breakfast item at weddings or on any other happy occasion. In Tamil weddings, the bride sometimes holds a Fast on the wedding day. I confirmed with my in-laws and the pandit who was performing our wedding whether I had to.

If I was expected to fast, then Ven Pongal was not going to be on the breakfast menu! I just couldn't miss eating it on my wedding day! Thankfully, I didn't have to fast! Phew! It's also served as naividhyam and prasadam in Hindu temples and for some reason, that taste is always different and better than the homemade one. We look forward to it.

Why make this

I totally love this Instant Pot recipe for Ven Pongal! It hits all the right flavors minus the hard work! You will want to save this recipe for Ven Pongal and add it to your weekly rotation menu!

• Easy to digest
• Takes less than 20 minutes to be made
• It's healthy - protein and healthy fats
• Very minimal prep required
• Can be made ahead of time
• Safe for toddlers and the elderly (reduced the spice if making for them)
• Simple, easy, and quick to make
• Made with basic pantry essentials
• This recipe for Ven Pongal is vegan and gluten-free
• Can be served as a snack or for breakfast
• One-pot meal

Rice - Use any non-sticky (important) short-medium grain white rice. I use any white rice like Surti Kolam or Sona Masoori. You don't need to but can also use basmati rice.

Split Moong dal - These are husked and split tiny yellow-colored lentils. They are also known as pasi paruppu in Tamil. You can find them in any Indian grocery store or on Amazon. They are easy to digest and cook.

Spices and nuts - cumin seeds, cashews (skip if you have a nut allergy), and ginger are what you need. Don't use cumin powder as a substitute for cumin seeds.

Peppercorns - Use whole or freshly crushed peppercorns instead of ground pepper powder. It gives a better flavor.

Milk and ghee - The rice and lentils are cooked in milk + water to give this dish an enriched porridge feel. Also, this recipe uses ghee beautifully. Since I am making it vegan, I have used thin coconut milk and vegan ghee. You can also use regular full-fat milk and regular ghee instead. You can also skip adding any milk and use just water instead.

Instant Pot - I prefer making Pongal in the Instant Pot lately. It's way easier and more convenient.

1. Turn on the Instant Pot in Saute mode. Add ghee to the pot. Temper cumin seeds. When they splutter, add ginger paste, and crushed peppercorns. Saute for 30 seconds.
2. Add the moong dal.
3. Add the raw rice grains.
4. Add milk, water, and salt. Give it a stir and hit cancel. Close the lid. Select Manual/Pressure mode and cook for 8 minutes. Release pressure naturally.
5. Open the lid and do a taste test. Add another cup of water mixed with milk along with salt (if needed) and mash it all well when it's still hot. Add more water if needed.
6. Fry cashews and whole peppercorns in ghee till they turn light golden and pour it over the Pongal.

Serving suggestions 🍽 

Serve it hot. For that extra flavor, add a teaspoon of ghee before serving. The recipe for Ven Pongal is incomplete without that ghee drizzled on top! The most popular condiment to serve with Khara Pongal is coconut chutney! In hotels, it's also served with sambhar or rasam. Some also like to eat it with Avial, Gotsu or chutney.

You can eat this Instant Pot Pongal for breakfast or serve it as a light snack in the evenings. I also like to have it as a meal. It can also be packed in lunchboxes. Make this when celebrating the Pongal festival or when celebrating some special days or other festivals. Serve it in Donnai (leaf bowl) like I have to get that traditional feel.

Top recipe tips 💭

As a thumb rule, the rice to dal ratio is 1:0.5. We like to add ¾ cup of dal because it gives the Pongal a nice texture and that's the way my mom made it. Do not add the cashews along with the other ingredients in the Instant Pot. They will lose their crispiness. Always add them after the Pongal is cooked.

Roasting the lentils and rice is not required to do when making Pongal. Roasting them will not yield a soft porridge-like consistency. There is no need to even soak them. Only add crushed peppercorns rather than whole ones if you hate biting into them when eating.

Keep in mind that Ven Pongal will thicken as it cools. So even if it appears a bit soggy when you open the Instant Pot, it's fine. If you feel the salt is less, mix the required salt with hot water. Add the salted water to the Pongal instead of directly adding salt. It will mix more evenly.

Recipe FAQs 📖