Millet Pongal

Pongal is a comfort food for most of the south indians and its equally the most hated food too. 

Most of the houses make pongal as a breakfast but in my house its always a lunch recipe. 

The reason many avoid pongal is because its made with rice so becomes  heavy and we will be drowsy 😂. Yes pongal induces sleep 🤭. 

But never have i ever made pongal for breakfast and never ever used rice in my pongals. Its always some millet or a mix of millets. 

Even today am here with a recipe of millet pongal that i make often. It is so healthy coz of the millet and comes out so flavorful. 

Give it a try and let me know... 

INGREDIENTS 

PONGAL

1 cup millet of your choice

1 cup moong dal

4 green chilli slit in middle

1 inch ginger grated

4 cup water

1 tsp asafoetida/hing

Salt to taste

TEMPERING

3 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tsp pepper corns

15 cashew broken (optional) 

Few curry leaves

1-1. 5 cup milk or water (to adjust consistency 

INSTANT POT METHOD 

• Heat the oil and ghee in the instant pot saute mode and temper with all the ingredients under tempering. 

• If using cashew add it first and once it slightly brown remove the cashews and set aside then add all other ingredients to the hot oil and let it splutter. 

. Next add the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and cook till the raw smell of ginger leaves. 

. Add in the asafotida along with moong dal and fry until the dal is slightly brown in color. 

• Switch off the instant pot and add the millets and water to it along with salt to taste. Close and pressure cook for 8 mins high. Let the pressure release naturally. 

• Open and give it a good mix. Adjust the consistency with the milk or water (milk gives a creamy texture) 

• Check for salt and adjust. 

• It tends to harden when cooled so milk or water can be used to adjust the consistency you prefer. 

• More ghee will give a rich texture to the pongal but if not prefered you can avoid. 

• Serve hot with sambar and/or chutney. 

STOVE TOP METHOD 

• • Add all ingredients listed under PONGAL into the pressure cooker. Close and pressure cook for 5 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. 

• • Open and give it a good mix. Adjust the consistency with the milk or water (milk gives a creamy texture) 

• • Heat the oil and ghee in a pan and temper with all the ingredients. 

• • If using cashew add it first and once it slightly brown add all other ingredients to the hot oil and let it splutter. 

• • Add the tempering to the pongal and give it a mix again. Check for salt and adjust. 

• •It tends to harden when cooled so milk or water can be used to adjust the consistency you prefer. 

• • More ghee will give a rich texture to the pongal but if not prefered you can avoid. 

• • Serve hot with sambar and/or chutney.