Venn Pongal, Chakkarai Pongal and Ullunda Vadai

Image Credit: Sriram (my hubby)

Sankranthi was one of my favorite festivals as a kid and I spent hours and hours many days prior to and after the festival flying and chasing kites. I have very fond memories of this festival and wish I can go back to Hyderabad for one Sankranthi to relive the excitement. The Sankranthis I celebrate here have been reduced to cooking and eating festive fare. Typical maharashtrian fare for Sankranthi is the Tila Chi Vadi that I have blogged about previously. My husband and sister both enjoy this immensely and it does not survive very long in my pantry when I make it. Typical tamilian food is venn pongal which is a savoury pongal, chakkarai pongal which is a sweet version and ullunda vadai. The credit for these recipes goes to my in laws and the lovely Meenakshi Ammal cookbook that they gifted me. I am sending these recipes to three events -

1. Venn pongal, chakkarai pongal and ullunda vadai to Festive Food: Makara Sankranthi hosted by Indian Khana

2. Venn Pongal and Chakkarai pongal to Harvest: The Festival of Rice hosted by Bengali Cuisine

3. Venn pongal and vadai to FIC Yellow event hosted by TumYumTreats




Thanks to Asha of foodieshope for pointing me to all these fun events that I could participate in:)



Venn Pongal:

Ingredients

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - 1 cup
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp
4. Green chillies - 4 finely chopped
5. Curry leaves - 10
6. Cumin/jeera - 1 tsp
7. Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
8. Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
9. Water - 5 cups
   
10. Salt
    

Directions

1. Boil the rice and moong dal with 4 cups of water in pressure cooker until it is soft.
   
2. Heat the ghee and add the ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, cumin and black pepper and roast until you can smell all the flavours.
3. Add the cooked rice and dal and salt and more water (depending on the consistency of the cooked rice and dal) and mix thoroughly.
4. Allow the mixture to steam and top off with a little more ghee if you like. Enjoy hot with sambhar or gotsu or just as is.

Chakkarai Pongal:

Ingredients

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Moong dal - 1 cup
3. Jaggery - 1 cup grated
4. Elaichi powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Milk - 1 cup
6. Cashews - 10-15
7. Ghee - 2 tbsps
8. Raisins - 10

Directions

1. Boil the rice and moon dal in the pressure cooker.
2. Heat a pan and boil the cooked rice and moong dal with the milk and some water if required until soft.
3. Add the jaggery and 1 tbsp ghee and allow it to melt.
4. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and add to the mixture above. Chakkari pongal is ready to be devoured with the vada.

Ullunda Vadai:

Ingredients

1. Split urad dal - 2 cups
2. Green chillies - 2 finely chopped
3. Dried red chillies - 3 finely chopped
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
5. Curry leaves - 10 finely chopped
6. Coconut slivers - 1/2 cup
7. Salt
8. Black pepper - 1 tbsp roughly crushed
9. Oil for deep frying

Directions

1. Soak the urad dal with water for 2 hours and then grind it with very little water and salt to taste.
2. Add the green chillies, red chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coconut slivers, black pepper to the urad dal batter and mix well.
3. Wet your palms and place a tbsp of batter on the palm. Use wet hands to pat it flat and make a hole in the center.
4. Heat oil and drop the vada and deep fry until golden brown. Enjoy hot!!!