Sweet Pongal / Sakkarai Pongal

Sakkarai pongal is a sweet dish prepared with rice and jaggery during the Pongal festival. in south India This year I used brown rice and brown sugar and it was absolutely delicious.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Brown rice - 1 cup
• Moong dhal - 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar - 1 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method

• Heat the pan and fry moong dhal until golden brown
• Add 1 1/4 cups of water to brown rice & dhal and pressure cook it for 3 whistles
• Remove from the pressure cooker and mash it well
• Heat the pan and add 1/4 cup of water & brown sugar
• Allow it to boil and add cardamom powder
• Add mashed rice to the boiling brown sugar and mix well
• Heat a pan with ghee fry cashew nuts and raisins
• Pour it over the sweet pongal and serve hot

Nutritional Information
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• Brown rice is rich in fibre and the oil in the brown rice lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Per serving = 330 calories approximately

Ven Pongal

Pongal is a festival of harvesting celebrated in South India. Celebrations include cooking of delicious ven pongal.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Rice - 1 cup
• Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
• Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp (or whole black pepper)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves few
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Broken cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Wash rice & dhal together, add 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 3 whistles
• Remove rice & dhal from the cooker and mash it well along with required salt
• Heat the pan with ghee to fry cashew nuts, cumin seeds, pepper powder, ginger and curry leaves
• Now add mashed rice & dhal to the seasoning and mix well
• Serve hot along with coconut chutney

Nutritional Information

• Moong dhal is an excellent source of fibre and protein
• Moong dhal lowers cholesterol as they are rich in fibre
• Moong dhal is also rich in Vitamin B1 and B6
• Rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates which gives us energy
• Per serving = 125 calories approximately

Curd Vada

Vada is a typical south Indian dish prepared during festive occasions. Urad dhal batter is made into doughnut shaped, deep fried and soaked in thick curd.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Urad dhal - 1 cup
• Green chillies - 2 nos
• Curd / yogurt - 3 cups
• Rice flour - 2 tbsp (If needed)
• Oil for deep frying
• Coriander leaves for garnishing
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the dhal for 2 hours and grind into a smooth batter along with chiilis & salt (add very little water, if batter is little watery add rice flour)

• In a wide vessel beat the curd with required salt and keep it aside
• Warm 2 cups of water in a pan and keep it aside
• Heat the pan with oil for deep frying
• Take a lemon size portion of batter and flatten it in your palm & make a small hole in the centre (grease your palm to avoid sticking)
• Slowly drop them in the hot oil

• Deep fry till golden brown and remove excess oil using kitchen tissue

• Put the fried vada into warm water for few seconds and remove it

• Squeeze the vada between your palms gently and drop them in the curd
• Soak in the curd for atleast 30 minutes before serving
• Garnish with coriander leaves and chilli powder

Nutritional Information

• Curd / Yogurt contains live bacterial cultures which help to improve our immune system
• Curd is also rich in calcium
• Urad dhal is good source of Protien and dietary fibre
• Per serving = 150 calories approximately

Dhal Poli

Poli is a traditional dish in south India prepared on Bohi - a day before Pongal. Poli is a flat bread with sweet filling inside which is called puran.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Bengal gram dhal - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1 cup (I used brown sugar)
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Wheat flour - 1 1/2 cups (or maida)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - pinch
• Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method

• In a wide bowl mix wheat flour, turmeric powder and salt
• Add  water little by little and make a soft pliable dough
• Apply a teaspoon of ghee over the dough, cover and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes
• Wash the dhal and pressure cook it for 2 whistles or until soft but not mushy
• Drain excess water (remove the water from the dhal by using clean kitchen towel )
• Power the dhal in a mixer
• Heat the pan with brown sugar and add little water (add water till brown sugar is immersed)
• Allow it to boil and add grated coconut & cardamom powder (if you are using jaggery bring it to boil and strain it to remove the dirt)
• Add the powdered dhal and cook until you get a thick puran
• Now take a golf ball sized portion of the dough and roll it out with the rolling pin

• Take a spoonful of filling / puran and place it in the centre of the rolled dough

• Close the dough as shown in the picture  above
• Dust with flour and roll it out carefully with the rolling pin to make a thick poli

• Heat the tava and place poli on it and cook till golden brown spots appear on both sides by spreading a teaspoon of ghee
• Ready to serve 

Nutritional Information

• Bengal gram dhal is low in fat & cholesterol, high in dietary fiber and rich in protein
• Each poli = 110 calories approximately