Easy Rava Pongal Recipe

Rava Pongal| Semolina Pongal| Sooji rava Pongal is an alternative to traditional pongal prepared with rice and dal. This is tasty and quick to make healthy breakfast too. I have planned to make this recipe last year and could not made this due to time constrain. This year i made this pongal recipe and the same day happened to watch Venkatesh bhatts show making this rava pongal. He has added loads of ghee and prepared similar to kesari consistency. My hands never use that much ghee in any of my cooking. I use that much ghee for one month cooking and eat the dishes without any guilt. So i am happy with my version. Those who wants that soft and non sticky consistency use more ghee to get that consistency.

INGREDIENTS:
Rava|semolina- 1 cup
Moong Dal- 1/2 cup
Ghee- 3 tablespoons
Peppercons- 1 tablespoon
Jeera- 1 teaspoon
Cashewnuts, broken- 10 nos
Onion, finely chopped- 1/2(optional)
Ginger, finely chopped- 1/2 inch
Curry leaves- 2 stands
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Roast the moongdal till the dal starts to get golden colour.
• Pressure cook the moong dal with 1 and 1/2 cups of water for 3- 4 whistles.
• Once the pressure releases open the pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water, enough salt and the remaining ghee for the pongal; bring it to boil.

• Meanwhile heat a tablespoon of ghee in a pan and add the peppercorns, jeera and cashewnuts and roast till the cashews starts to get golden colour.
• Now add the onion, ginger and curry leaves and fry till the onion turns translucent.
• Immediately add the rava and roast well till it looks like sand consistency.
• Remove the pan and set aside.

• Once the mixture boiling and reaches the rolling hot stage add the rave in two lots with constant stirring.
• Close with a lid and cook for few minutes till the rava cooks soft.

• Serve pongal with gothsu or coconut chutney
• Notes: Adding ghee gives more flavour and taste to the pongal. So adding more quantity is up to your choice.

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Pongal Festival Recipes

Pongal Festival Recipes: Click on the photo for the recipe with step-wise picture instructions...

Pongal:

Ven Pongal

Vermicelli Pongal

Rava Pongal

Oats Pongal

Thinai Pongal

Paal Pongal

Pongal Kuzhambu

Kathirikka Gotsu

Sakkara Pongal

Akkaravadisal

Pooran Poli

Vadas:

Medhu Vadai

Vegetable Medhu Vadai

Masala Vadai

Mint Masala Vadai

Methi Masala Vadai

Keerai Vadai

Oats Vadai

Beetroot Vadai

Mangalore Bajji

Onion Vadai

Rice Varieties:

Lemon Rice

Tamarind Rice

Raw Mango Rice

Mint Rice

Curd Rice

Curry leaves Rice

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Curd Rice recipe| Thayir Sadam| Bagala Bath

Thayir Sadam Recipe| Curd rice| Bagala bath is a quick fix variety rice which requires very limited ingredients. It is simple and a quick to prepare lunch box recipe too. It is also prepared during festivals like Navaratri, Vinayaka chaturthi, Pongal ..etc.

The best combinations are pickles like Mango, Lemon or Gooseberry, Moor milagai and pearl onions. My favourite is pickle and curd rice combo, an unbeatable tasty evergreen combination. At every Iyengar's home it is an inevitable dish in their day today life.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves:1

INGREDIENTS:
Raw rice- 1/2 cup (I used to make with parboiled rice(leftover) too)
Curd/Yogurt, cold- 1 cup
Milk- 1/2 cup
Carrot, grated- 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves, chopped- 1 tablespoon
Salt- to taste

To temper:
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal/ Ulunthu- 1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chillies, broken- 2 small(optional)
Curry leaves- 2 stands
Hing/ Kayam- pinch
Green chillies, chopped- 1big
Ginger, finely chopped- 1 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Wash the rice and pressure cook the for 4 whistles till slightly over cooked consistency.
• Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds; then add urad dal and cook till golden. Add the dry red chillies and curry leaves with hing.
• Finally add the green chillies and ginger and cook for fifteen seconds just to leave the raw flavour; switch off the gas.

• Once the pressure releases open the lid and mash well with a masher or backside of aladle.
• Now add milk and cook till it get absorbed; switch off the gas and allow to cool.
• Once it the mixture is cool add the salt and curd; mix well.

• Add the tempering, grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

• Serve with pickle, moor milagai or pearl onion.
• Notes: Add more milk if the curd is sour and adjust the proportions.
• Do not add curd in hot else the curd rice it turns watery.
• You could add some fruits like pomegranate, apple and grapes to make fruity curd rice.
• You could add some nuts like cashewnuts at the time of tempering if you like.
• You could add a teaspoon of butter while mashing the rice to make the rice more tasty rich and creamy.

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Thinai Pongal| Millet Recipes

Thinai Ven Pongal| Foxtail millet Pongal is a healthy variation to the traditional pongal made with rice and moong dal. Here rice is replaced with thinai to make this dish healthy. I have shared another Thinai recipe in my blog Thinai Pasiparuppu Payasam which is also an instant & quick to make healthy dessert.
Millets are the best healthy replacement for rice. Nowadays people have become health conscious and consume healthy alternatives like millets. Hope to share more such easy millet recipes when time permits.

Preparation Time:5 minutes
Cooking Time:15 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Serves:3-4

INGREDIENTS:
Thinai/ Fox tail millet- 3/4 cup
Moong dal/Pasiparuppu- 1/2 cup
Salt- to taste

To temper:
Oil+ Ghee- 4 teaspoon
Ginger, finely chopped- 1 teaspoon
Cumin/Jeera- 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 2 strand
Cashewnuts, broken- 5

PROCEDURE:

• Dry roast the moong dal inside the pressure cooker with till light golden colour starts to appear; now switch off the flame.
• Add thinai with this roasted moong dal and rinse with some water to remove the dirt from dal and thinai.

• Add 5 cups of water and salt; Close with a lid and pressure cook for about 2 whistles.
• Heat oil and ghee together in a pan and add chopped ginger, cumin seeds, peppercorns, curry leaves and broken cashews; fry everything till the cashews starts to turn golden.

• Once the pressure releases open the pressure cooker and add the tempering and mix well and cook for a minute or the moisture would almost evaporate and get to a semi solid consistency.

• Switch off the flame and serve with any chutney or sambar.

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Vegetable Medhu Vada

Vegetable Medu Vada: I already shared some variations of paruppu vada so i was thinking to give some twist for Medhu vada. So i searched in net and i found cabbage vada recipe. So i thought if cabbage can be added in vada why cant the vada to be made with other veggies. So i tried this vada and it was really tasty.

When i was making the vada i was bit worried because i chopped lots of veggies and was thinking how this batter is going to accommodate all these veggies? and how it tastes because i have not precooked any of the veggies. Especially worried about the beans will cook or not, i have grated using big size holes to prevent the carrots get overcooked but surprisingly all the veggies are perfectly cooked and well incorporated with the vada. Really tasty healthy vegetable medu vadas perfect for this climate.

INGREDIENTS:
Urad dhal/ Uluntham paruppu- 1 cup
Carrot, grated- 1 small
French Beans, finely chopped- 5
Cabbage, finely chopped- 1 cup
Onion- 1 small
Green chilli, finely chopped- 2
Ginger, finely chopped-1 inch
Peppercorns- 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 1 stand
Coriander leaves, finely chopped- 1 tablespoon
Asafetida- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt-to taste
Oil- to deep fry

Preparation Time: 2 hr soaking time+ 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Makes: 12 medium sized vadas

PROCEDURE:

• Soak urad dal for 2 hours. Use whole urad dal without skin for better results.
• Grind urad dal with only little water ( add less than ¼ cup water because veggies also have some moisture) till you get a slightly fluffy white stiff batter.

• Now add the rice flour, chopped veggies, onions, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves along with salt and asafetida.
• Mix well, keep aside and heat enough oil in a deep pan.

• Now wet your right hand well by dipping inside water and take a small ball of batter.
• And use your thumb to make hole in the middle and drop it in oil, just invert the vada over the oil and slightly shake your fingers.

• Another method, take a banana leaf or wax paper pour some oil on it, take some batter and shape it like a vada and make a hole. Dip your finger in oil and slightly apply oil on top of the vada. (If the batter sticks to the banana leaf or wax paper and feels difficulty while transferring them to oil then grease with more oil. Check this method photos here)
• Now carefully invert the paper and drop the vada in oil and lift the paper back.
• Fry in medium flame, turn the vadas and fry till both the sides turn crisp and golden brown.

• Note: If you want this recipe in the way that prepared in restaurants (Puffy and crunchy). Add a pinch of baking soda in this batter.
• If your vadai drinks too much oil or u are  not able to shape the vadas then it means you have added more water, reduce next time. For time being add rice flour or semolina or gram flour or Maida/all purpose flour to reduce vadai drinking oil and to make in proper shape.

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