Chefs share different pongal recipes that you can try as you celebrate Pongal, the harvest festival, this year
From sweet to savoury varieties, chefs from across India share pongal recipes that you can try as you celebrate Pongal, the harvest festival, this year.
As Pongal, the multi-day harvest festival, starts today and will be celebrated till January 17, the festival staple, pongal, is a must! Here, we bring to you different varieties of the rice-based khichdi that you could try to please your taste buds:

Jeedipappu Chakkara Pongali
Ingredients:
150 gm - Raw rice
25 gm - Moong dal
50 gm - Jaggery
250 ml - Milk
3 - Cardamom, crushed
1 pinch - Pacha karpooram
A pinch of salt
1 - Banana, small
2 tsp - Ghee
10 - Cashew nuts
2 tsp - Raisins
Method:
Soak rice for 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker, heat ghee and roast the moong dal.
Add water and milk; bring it to boil.
Drain the water of the rice. Add it in the cooker. Mix pacha karpooram, cardamoms, salt and banana. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Mix the jaggery in the water and ensure it blends together.
Once the rice and dal is cooked, mash it completely.
Add the thick jaggery syrup and combine together.
Heat ghee in a small pan and roast the cashew nuts and raisins until they turn golden brown.
Garnish the pongal with the roasted cashew nuts and raisins.
Inputs by Satya Kumar, Executive Chef, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, Hyderabad
Sweet Pongal
Ingredients
100 gm - Rice
50 gm - Jaggery, grated
25 gm - Yellow moong dal
2 gm - Cardamom powder
5 gm - Broken cashews
3 gm - Raisins
10 gm - Ghee
10 gm - Coconut, grated
300 ml - Water for boiling
Method:
Wash rice and moong dal in cold water.
Boil water in a pan and add the rice and dal.
Once it cooks, add in the grated jaggery.
Add half the quantity of ghee and stir till the jaggery mixes into the rice and dal mixture.
In a frying pan, heat the remaining ghee and sauté cashew and raisins on a low flame till they are golden brown. Add this to the pongal.
Sprinkle grated coconut and cardamom powder over the mix.
Serve hot in a bowl.
Inputs by Nitish Chandra Phani, Executive Chef, The Tamara Kodai, Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu)
Khara Pongal
Ingredients:
1 cup - Rice
1/4 cup - Moong dal
1 tbsp - Ghee
1 tsp - Black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
2 - Green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 inch - Ginger, grated
1 sprig - Curry leaves
10-12 - Cashews
1/4 tsp - Black pepper powder
Salt to taste
4 cups - Water
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tbsp - Fresh coconut, grated
Method:
In a pan, dry roast the moong dal until it turns golden brown. In a pressure cooker, add rice, roasted moong dal, water, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2-3 whistles.
In a pan, heat ghee. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir fry for a few seconds.
Add the cashews and fry until golden brown. Add black pepper. Add the cooked rice and dal mixture to the pan with tempering.
Stir in fresh coconut for texture. Serve hot.
Inputs by Chef Ashish Vijay Kadam, Novotel Mumbai International Airport, Mumbai
Sakkarai Pongal
Ingredients:
½ cup - Rice
⅓ cup - Moong dal
3 + ½ cups - Water
½ cup - Jaggery
5 - Green cardamoms
1 - clove
5 tbsp - Ghee
15 to 18 - Cashews
1 tsp - Golden raisins
Method:
In a pan, roast rice and dal on low heat, stirring often.
Rinse with water and add them to a pressure cooker with water. Pressure cook on medium heat for 11 to 12 minutes.
Lighty mash the rice and dal with a spoon.
Crush cardamoms and clove in a mortar and pestle. Chop jaggery and set aside.
In water, mix the jaggery and on low flame, heat this solution till it melts.
Strain the jaggery syrup and add to the cooked rice and lentils mixture. Add the crushed cardamom and clove powder, too.
Mix everything well. Pongal will thicken as it cools.
Heat ghee and saute the cashews till they become light golden.
Then add raisins and roast.
Immediately remove the nuts from the pan.
Add the fried cashews and raisins to the cooked rice and lentils.
Mix thoroughly.
Serve sweet pongal hot or warm.
Inputs by Narasinh Kamath, Executive Chef, Hilton Goa Resort, Candolim, Goa
Millets Pongal
Ingredients:
½ cup - Barnyard Millet
¾ cup -Jaggery
2 tbsp - Moong dal
2 ¼ cups - Water
½ cup - Milk, boiled and cooled
½ tsp - Cardamom powder
3 tbsp - Ghee
10 - Cashews
10 - Raisins
1 tbsp - Dry coconut slices
Method:
Heat ghee in a pan and add the moong dal. Roast it until golden brown.
Add the rinsed barnyard millet to the pan. Pour in the water and combine.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low flame until the millet is soft.
Once cooked, add the jaggery and stir until it melts completely.
Add the boiled and cooled milk, and cardamom powder. Mix well.
Remove from heat.
In a separate pan, heat the remaining ghee and fry the cashews and dry coconut slices until light brown.
Add the raisins to the pan and fry until they plump up.
Remove from heat and pour the fried mixture over the cooked millet and jaggery blend.
Mix everything together and serve warm.
Inputs by Ritesh Raje, Executive Sous Chef, DoubleTree by Hilton Goa, Panaji, Goa
