Traditional Dishes Recipes for Pongal Festival: Pongal is a major and traditional festival of South India, celebrated with great pomp and show, especially in Tamil Nadu. The Pongal festival is known not only for its cultural traditions but also for its special and delicious cuisine. Dishes made with new rice, milk, and jaggery hold special significance on this occasion.
This four-day festival has a different significance and different dishes for each day. Traditional Pongal dishes are not only delicious but also quite nutritious. Therefore, in this article, we will tell you which dishes you should prepare for the Pongal festival.
Sweet Pongal
To make Sweet Pongal, first wash the rice and moong dal and cook them in a pressure cooker with milk and a little water until soft. On the other hand, melt the jaggery with a little water and strain it. Now add the jaggery to the cooked rice and dal mixture and cook on low heat. Finally, lightly fry cashews and raisins in ghee and use them to garnish the Pongal. This dish is traditionally offered to the Sun God and holds special significance during the festival.
Ven Pongal
To make Ven Pongal, wash the rice and moong dal thoroughly and cook them until soft. Heat ghee in a pan and temper it with cumin seeds, black pepper, and chopped ginger. Add this tempering to the cooked rice and dal mixture and mix well with salt. Pongal is mildly spicy and is usually served with sambar or coconut chutney.
Medu Vada
To make Medu Vada, soak urad dal overnight and grind it. Add chopped ginger, green chilies, and salt to it and whisk the batter well. Now, make small, round vadas with your hands and fry them in hot oil until golden brown. This crispy and delicious vada is an important part of the Pongal thali and is loved by both children and adults.
Payasam
To make payasam, boil milk in a pan and add rice or vermicelli, then cook until tender. Once the milk thickens, add jaggery or sugar for sweetness and mix well. Finally, add cardamom powder and simmer briefly. Payasam can be served hot or cold and is a symbol of joy during Pongal.
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