Vegetable pongal is a delicious South Indian dish made with rice, lentils, and an assortment of vegetables. It is typically seasoned with fragrant spices like cumin, pepper, ginger and curry leaves, giving it a wonderful flavor profile. This hearty and nutritious dish is often enjoyed during breakfast or as a comforting meal on a chilly day. Feel free to customize your pongal with your favorite veggies such as carrots, peas, bell peppers, or even spinach to add color and variety to the dish. It’s a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients while still enjoying a satisfying meal.
Vegetable Pongal Recipe
Vegetable Pongal
Discover the delightful flavors of vegetable pongal, a hearty South Indian dish packed with rice, lentils, and fragrant spices. Perfect for breakfast or a cozy meal!
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
Raw Rice – 1 cup
Green Gram Dhal – 1/2 cup
Diced vegetables – 2 cups (carrot, beans, green peas, etc)
Green chillies – 2
Fresh ginger – a small piece
Curry leaves – few
Turmeric – 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida – A pinch
Red Chillies – 2
Coriander seeds – 2 teaspoons
Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Jeera – 1 teaspoon
Cashewnuts – few
Ghee – 2 tablespoon
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Water – 4 cups
Milk – 1 cup
Salt – 1 and half teaspoon or as per taste
Directions
- Wash the rice and dhal and put it in a pressure cooker. Add 4 cups water and one cup milk along with vegetable pieces, chopped ginger, asafotida, turmeric powder and one teaspoon salt and cook for four to five whistles.
- In a teaspoon of oil, fry the red chillies and coriander seeds and powder it.
- Powder pepper and jeera coarsely.
- In a kadai put the ghee and fry cashew nuts till it turns light brown. Add a small pice of ginger chopped finely, curry leaves and green chillies slit into two. Fry for a while and add pepper, jeera powder and immediately add it to the cooked rice, dhal and vegetables and stir well.
- Finally add red chillies, coriander powder and a teaspoon of ghee and mix well.