Of all the breakfast staples in Tamil Nadu, Pongal holds a very special place. This dish is associated with Pongal - the harvest festival in Tamil Nadu that is celebrated usually on January 14 or 15, on the first day of the 10th month in the Tamil calendar - Thai. It marks the end of the winter solstice. The first pongal of the year is usually a 'paal pongal' (Milk pongal) where the first rice crop (of rice) of the year is cooked with milk and a pinch of salt. In most villages and even in urban centres in Tamil Nadu, the Paal Pongal is cooked in earthen pots that wear a festive look and are encircled with freshly harvested ginger and turmeric.
But this is not the version of Pongal that's usually eaten around the year for breakfast. That's Venn Pongal which translates to white Pongal. This dish combines raw rice with moong dhal (Paasi paruppu in Tamil) and is flavoured with peppercorns and curry leaves. It was in Coimbatore that I first discovered a delicious spin on the traditional Pongal as we know it. I didn't come to try this dish at the Shree Anandhaas outlet at Lakshmi Mills junction. I was there for their popular Karupatti Mysore Pak that is crafted with palm jaggery but it was the breakfast special of the day that made a bigger impact.
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Photo Credit: Ashwin Rajagopalan
Shree Anandhaas is one of Coimbatore's most popular vegetarian chain restaurants along with another local favourite - Annapoorna. I've tried quite a few innovative dishes here including their chikoo kesari (similar to the sheera) but it's their Malli Pongal that is one the standout dishes on their menu. It's not available every day at the restaurant though. This green version of the Pongal incorporates the unique flavour and colour of coriander (malli or kothamalli is the Tamil word for coriander). While the Malli Pongal might be a recent innovation, it still tastes like a pongal and features similar textures. It's why this won't shock old timers who are particular about their Pongal.
It's not just the fresh aromas of the coriander, this dish is also infused with coconut milk that adds to its smooth texture. The cooking process is quite similar to a classic Venn Pongal except for a paste that incorporates key ingredients like cumin, peppercorns, ginger, green chillies and cashews. This is in addition to the ingredients used for the 'tempering process'. While it works well with Sambar, it tastes even better with a coconut chutney. The Malli Pongal is a delicious departure from the classic Pongal and works equally well as a breakfast option or for an all-day snack or as a light dinner option. You can try this easy recipe at home:
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Malli Pongal Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw rice
- 1 cup moong dhal
- 10 broken cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- A pinch of hing
- A sprig of curry leaves
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2-3 tbsp ghee
- 2-3 tbsp oil
- Salt as required
Ingredients for grinding:
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 5 cashew nuts
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1-2 green chillies
- 1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Method:
- Wash the rice & moong dal well. Drain the water and set aside.
- Add all ingredients (listed under ingredients for grinding) and blend to a smooth paste in a mixer.
- Add 4-5 cups of water with salt )to taste) in a pressure cooker. Add the washed rice & moong dal once the water starts to boil. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside.
- Heat ghee & oil in a pan and 'temper' the peppercorns, cumin seeds, cashews, curry leaves & a pinch of asafoetida. Add the grounded paste and saute for 2 minutes on a low flame.
- Add coconut milk to the rice and dal mixture once it is pressure-cooked. Stir well.
- Add the masala (with the ingredients that have been 'tempered') paste and stir well.
- Cook this on a stove for about 2 minutes on a low flame. Add more ghee at the end, once you turn off the flame.
- Serve hot with sambar or coconut chutney.