Pongal 2023: Delicious and wholesome traditional recipes to try this weekend
The celebrations go on for over four days, as Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month.
By ET Online |
There's no doubt that one of the biggest highlights of the festival is the delicious food that is prepared during the celebrations.
Pongal, a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community to thank the sun, mother nature and various farm animals.
The celebrations go on for over four days, as Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai, which is considered as an auspicious month.
Pongal isn't only the name of the festival but also the name of the dish made and eaten during the celebrations. The dish, which is procured from the Tamil word pongu (meaning to boil over) is a mixture of boiled sweet rice.
There's no doubt that one of the biggest highlights of the festival is the delicious food that is prepared during the celebrations. To help you make this year’s Pongal all the more special, we have fresh recipes for you from some of the top chefs in the country. Take a look!
Chakkara pongali/Sweet Pongal/Sakkarai Pongal By Chef Sanjay Rawat, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel. Ingredients:
150 Gm of Raw rice
25 Gm of Moong Dal
50 Gm Jaggery
250 ml Milk
3 crushed Cardamom
1 pinch Pacha karpooram (edible camphor)
1 pinch Salt
1 Small banana
2 tsp Ghee
10 Cashew nuts
2 tsp Raisins
Method:
Rinse and soak raw rice for 30 minutes and then in a pressure cooker heat 1 tsp of ghee add moong dal and roast for 2-3 minutes
Add 4 cups of water and 1 cup of milk, bring it to boil
Drain excess water from the rice, add it in the cooker
Add 1 pinch of ‘edible camphor’, 3 crushed cardamoms, 1 pinch of salt (optional), 1 small banana, and mix well.
Close and pressure cook for 4 whistles or cook covered for 15-20 minutes
Make a jaggery water so that it can blend well
Once the rice and dal cooked well, mash it completely
Add thick jaggery syrup and combine well
Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of ghee in a small pan, add cashew nuts (10-15) and 2 tsp of raisins, cook till golden brown
Add cashew nuts and raisins with Pongal. Mix well and we can garnish this with either silver leave or gold leave
Proso Millet Payasam By Nidhi Nahata, founder of restaurant Justbe Resto Cafe (India’s first whole food plant based restaurant) Ingredients:
Pineapple puree- 120gms
Jaggery - 120gms
Proso millet - 90gms
Coconut milk - 240ml
Cardamom - 1/4tsp
Almonds & Cashew chopped - 20gm
Water - 180 ml
Chopped Pineapple - 40gms
Water to boil millet - 750ml
Method:
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Dry roast the millet until aromatic .
Transfer it to a deep vessel and boil in water until cooked and soft. It will take 20 minutes. Strain the millets after its cooked.
In a pan, add jaggery, coconut milk and water. Stir until jaggery dissolves. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
Add the cooked Proso Millet to the jaggery +coconut milk mixture along with pineapple puree (Adjust sweetness as per your taste)
Simmer for 2-3minutes.
Turn off the flame and add chopped nuts, small pineapple pieces and cardamom.
Serve warm
Lohri, Pongal, Makar Sankranti: Festivals To Celebrate In January
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As we begin a new year, there are several interesting Hindu festivals lined up for celebrations in January.
As we begin a new year, there are several interesting Hindu festivals lined up for celebrations in January.
The new year in India keeps the festive tempo alive. Even as we bid adieu to the year gone by with Christmas & NYE celebrations, January continues to offer a joyous calendar. From Lohri to Makar Sankranti, Pongal - which are on January 14 this - and Basant Panchami on January 26, the first month of the year spreads some cheer to beat the winter chill.
The new year in India keeps the festive tempo alive. Even as we bid adieu to the year gone by with Christmas & NYE celebrations, January continues to offer a joyous calendar. From Lohri to Makar Sank..
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Every year, Lohri is celebrated with dance, food and bonfires. This year, it will be celebrated on January 13. It is celebrated to mark a good harvest and observe the winter solstice.
Every year, Lohri is celebrated with dance, food and bonfires. This year, it will be celebrated on January 13. It is celebrated to mark a good harvest and observe the winter solstice.
Though it is one of the major festivals celebrated in Punjab, the entire country is filled with the same enthusiasm for Lohri. During the festival people offer sesame seeds or jaggery into the fire. It is also enjoyed as prashad.
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People observe Makar Sankranti with social festivities such as colourful decorations, songs, kite flying, dance, feasts and more. The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated to mark the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius to Capricorn.
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With this day, the sunny days begin and foggy days come to an end. This year, the festival will be celebrated on January 14. Several people also take a holy dip in rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Kaveri and Godavari.
With this day, the sunny days begin and foggy days come to an end. This year, the festival will be celebrated on January 14. Several people also take a holy dip in rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Kaver..
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Pongal is a prominent festival of Tamil Nadu which will be celebrated this year on January 15. The festival is dedicated to the sun god and is a Hindu harvest festival which is celebrated across three days.
Pongal is a prominent festival of Tamil Nadu which will be celebrated this year on January 15. The festival is dedicated to the sun god and is a Hindu harvest festival which is celebrated across thre..
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The three days of the Pongal are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal. The festival marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai. During this, people eat a dish called Pongal which is a mixture of boiled sweet rice.
The three days of the Pongal are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal. The festival marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai. During this, people eat a dish called Pongal whic..
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Bihu, observed with much fanfare, will be celebrated this year on January 15. Bihu is a set of three festivals celebrated by the Assamese in India and across the world - Rongali or Bohag Bihu (observed in April), Kongali or Kati Bihu (observed in October) and Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu which is observed in January. The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires as people offer prayers to the god of fire.
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This year, Basant Panchami will be celebrated on January 26 which will mark the beginning of the spring season. People worship the goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning. During this festival, people put on their best yellow-coloured clothes. There's dancing, singing and also a feast. And of course seeking the Devi's intervention in matters of academics!
This year, Basant Panchami will be celebrated on January 26 which will mark the beginning of the spring season. People worship the goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning. During this festival, pe..
