PONGAL VARIETIES

    The arrival of January reminds me of the Pongal Season. When you say Pongal, it is both the Harvest Festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu & it is also a Dish. The Festival & the dish commemorates each other. When we say Pongal cooked for the harvest festival, then it is mostly the Sarkkarai Pongal or the Sweet version, where Rice & Moong Dhal is cooked & then sweetened with Jaggery, flavoured with cardamom and garnished with Nuts & Raisins fried in Ghee.  Following the suit, is the Savoury version of the dish Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal.

    Today is Pongal, a harvest festival celebrated in Tamilnadu to commemorate the divinity of the Sun, and its major role in agriculture and cattle rearing.  It is a four-day-long festival celebrated at the nook and corner of Tamilnadu.  Festivals, as a matter of fact, calls for traditional dishes, mostly prepared for the occasion. As Rice is the staple crop grown in South India, most of the basic local dishes are made with rice and festivals are also felicitated with dishes specially made with Rice.  Along with it comes a variety of Pongal recipes which is quite reminiscent of the festival. Though variant methods are prevalent throughout South India, Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal, Akkaravadisal, Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham, Ven Pongal are a few which follow the mark during the season along with Moonu Raja Pongal a Pongal made for Epiphany marking with a note of local history and tradition.  Also, I have added Ney Payasam and Aravana Payasam in the list which also fall under the genre with a slight variation where these Payasams are ubiquitous to Kerala and there they do not add Moong Dhal to this dish.

      Here I have tried to list out a few Pongal Varieties, both Sweet and Savoury versions which could easily be prepared for the Harvest Festival.  From the default Sarkkarai Pongal to divine Akkaravadisal to simple Millet Pongal.   In this Post, I have tried to put up a collection of Pongal Recipes I usually prepare at home for you to quickly choose from, for this Pongal.

For more PONGAL RECIPES, Click here... 

    Well before stepping into the varieties, here I have listed out a few Sweet Pongal varieties sweetened with Sugar, Jaggery, Rock Sugar etc., And also savoury versions of Pongal - Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal prepared with Rice, Semolina and Millets. 

Click on to the pictures for a detailed Recipe...

SWEET PONGALS

AKKARAVADISIL/AKKARA ADISIL:

AKKARAVADISIL/AKKARA ADISIL

    Let's begin the post with the most divine Pongal - Akkaravadisal/Akkara Adisil.  It is a divine sweet made in the temples of Srivilliputhur and Sri Rangam. Srirangam Temple has an inscription that mentions the method of preparing Akkaravadisal and the honours with which it should be served. Akkaravadisal is an authentic Iyengar(Vaishnava) Delicacy usually prepared as an Offering to God (Prasadham/Naivedhyam) during the month of Margazhi, a Tamil month(mid of Dec to mid of Jan). Akkaravadisal is offered to Lord Vishnu in Sri Rangam Temple on the auspicious Day of Panguni Uthiram.
     Akkaravadisal is a heavenly combination of Rice & Moong Dhal cooked in Milk, sweetened with Jaggery Syrup, flavoured with Cardamoms, edible camphor, Cashewnuts & Raisins along with copious amount of Ghee which gives a melt-in-mouth texture.  Sweet Pongal/Sarkkarai Pongal comes from the same regime, but is the simpler version of the former. The taste and flavour of this dish are elevated by traditional cooking methods used in Madapalli (Temple Kitchen), slow cooking in Wooden Fire in a Bronze Pot. As a part of Pongal, I thought I could share the recipe for Akkaravadisal which is my favourite.  Koodaravalli is an auspicious day observed on the 27th day of the Tamil month Marghazhi as a part of PAVAI NOMBU.  For each day of Margazhi, Sri Andal sang a verse of Thirupavai in the praise of Lord Vishnu. And share Akkaravadisal, the sweetest and divine dish to mark the end of PAVAI NOMBU. 

SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL:

SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL

    Next, let's look into the most default Pongal alias Sarkkarai Pongal made during the Pongal Festival. Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal recipe is a simple version which can be prepared at home for any occasion/festival.  Above all, this Sweet Pongal is a major Naivedhyam/Prasadham served in most of the temples or during Poojas at home.  As Rice is the staple crop grown in South India, along with other local produces comes this divine dish Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal.
     Raw Rice and Moong Dhal(Pasi Paruppu) are used to prepare this Sweet Pongal and Jaggery(Cane Sugar) is used to sweeten the dish which gives the name Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkarai Pongal.  Though variant methods are prevalent throughout South India, the major ingredients stick onto the above three major ingredients along with milk, flavoured with cardamoms, dry ginger, edible camphor or clove and garnished with Cashews and Raisins roasted in Ghee.

KALKANDU PONGAL /KALKANDU SADHAM:

KALKANDU PONGAL /KALKANDU SADHAM

    Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham is an easy Pongal recipe prepared with Raw Rice cooked in Milk, sweetened with Rock Sugar/Kalkandu, flavoured with Cardamoms and garnished with Cashewnuts and Raisins roasted in Ghee.  This creamy delight is yet another authentic dish from Madapalli(Temple Kitchen).

     This Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham is a simple recipe which can be prepared at home for any occasion/festival.  Above all this Kalkandu Pongal is a major Naivedhyam/Prasadham served in most of the temples or during Poojas at home. And especially Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham is served as a prasadham in Chidambaram Natarajar Temple. As any other prasadham, Kalkandu Pongal/Kalkandu Sadham served in temples have a special note of taste and flavour which is quite divine.

AVAL KALKANDU PONGAL:

AVAL KALKANDU PONGAL

MILLET SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL:

MILLET SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL

    Though, festivals calls for indulgence and good food, as a norm I would like to prepare Pongal with Rice and Dhal. If you are looking for a twist and a healthier version, then this Millet Sarkkarai Pongal falls gently into the genre.  The cooking method is same as how we make Sarkkarai Pongal with Rice, where millet is substituted instead of Rice. Millet and Moong Dhal(Pasi Paruppu) are used to prepare this Sweet Pongal and Jaggery(Cane Sugar) is used to sweeten the dish, which gives the name Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkarai Pongal.

MOONU RAJA PONGAL:

MOONU RAJA PONGAL

    I am totally new to this tradition of making Pongal for Epiphany (which also falls in the month of January) by the people of Karaikkal & Pondicherry, a French Town.  I was amazed to know that, there existed a dish to commemorate the day and that too, a recipe so traditional and uniquely South Indian.  Made with locally available ingredients like Raw Rice, Coconut Milk & Sugar. the Moonu Raja Pongal or the Three Kings Pongal.   And it is also the time of the Harvest Festival Pongal in Tamil Nadu.  Though the fact why Pongal is made on Epiphany in these regions has another lead which says that it is made in honour of Three Great Kings who ruled Tamil Nadu and regions of Kerala - the Chera, the Chola and the Pandyas, popularly known as "Moovendars(Three Kings)". 

ARAVANA PAYASAM: 

ARAVANA PAYASAM

    Aravana Payasam is a prasadham given at Sabarimala Shree Ayyappa Swami Temple. It's the divine Ayyappa Prasadham and the most important offering made at Sabarimala.     Aravana Payasam is cooked with three simple ingredients Rice, Jaggery & Ghee.  I always wonder how a simple Payasam prepared with Unakkalari (Raw Rice) and Sarkkara (Jaggery) yields so much taste. The answer is, Prasadhams are always a step ahead when it comes to satiate our minds along with our taste buds. My mom & dad together makes the best Neypayasam & Aravana Payasam ever.  They usually prepare it for Annadhanam.  The alluring aroma of Aravana Payasam cooked in Ghee & Jaggery is an experience.

NEYPAYASAM:

NEYPAYASAM

    Neypayasam, is a Payasam served as a Prasadham in almost all Temples in Kerala.  Raw Rice/Unakkalari slow-cooked in a copious amount of Ghee and Jaggery.  This utter sweet & thick concoction is meant to be eaten only little at a time, unlike other Payasams.

    Though Aravana Payasam and Ney Payasam are literally not termed as Pongal, the ingredients and the speciality of the dish as a Prasadham can easily list the dishes into the genre.  If you are in a mood to have a Kerala Style Pongal without dhal, then these Payasams - Aravana Payasam and Ney Payasam gently falls into the list of Sweet Pongal  Recipes.

CHAK HAO AMUBI - MANIPURI BLACK RICE KHEER:

CHAK HAO AMUBI - MANIPURI BLACK RICE KHEER

    Yet another Pongal like dish from the North Eastern Part of India which is cooked with Black Glutinous Rice.  This dish is more or less similar to the Chettinaad Special Kavuni Arisi Pongal.  The traditional Chak Hao Amubi- Manipuri Black Rice Kheer is reflective of the State’s culinary trail –  made with minimal ingredients & slow cooked until the nutty flavour of the Black Rice seeps through.  Black Rice Kheer is a simple straight forward Dessert, easy to make with very few ingredients yet delicious & nutritious. Black rice is known as Chak Hao Amubi in Manipuri where Chakhao means delicious and Amubi means Black. Desserts made from Black Rice is generally served on special occasions. major feasts and festive events.

SAVOURY PONGAL ALIAS VEN PONGALS

Following the suit, here a few Ven Pongal Recipes, prepared with Rice, Semolina and Millets.

VEN PONGAL/KHARA PONGAL:

VEN PONGAL/KHARA PONGAL

     A savoury version of the Pongal which is a popular South Indian Tiffin item - the one & only "Ven Pongal alias Khara Pongal". Commonly served in most of the restaurants, and it is also one common dish served as a breakfast item during functions & weddings. Though the ingredients remain the same as for a Sweet Pongal, the savoury version that is Ven Pongal is seasoned with mild spices like Pepper & Cumin seeds and cooked with a copious amount of Ghee.   

    Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal is a distinct dish with a unique taste, few ingredients and less time to cook. So simple yet a rich dish. This dish is very nutritious due to its perfect blend of Carbohydrates and Proteins.  The spices used also makes the dish healthy.  This is a special breakfast dish served in Tamil Nadu and Southern parts of Andhra Pradesh. 

RAVA PONGAL/SEMOLINA PONGAL:

RAVA PONGAL/SEMOLINA PONGAL