MILAGU PONGAL
Jump to RecipeMilagu pongal (pepper pongal) is a traditional South Indian savory dish made from rice, split yellow moong dhal, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, ghee and curry leaves. It is especially popular in Tamil Nadu, and is often prepared as a comforting breakfast or during festivals and temple offerings.
Milagu pongal has a soft, porridge-like texture and is known for its warm, mildly spicy flavor from freshly crushed black pepper and cumin. Ghee-roasted cashews are commonly added for richness and crunch. Milagu pongal is valued not only for its taste but also for its digestive and warming properties, making it a popular choice during cold weather or when recovering from illness.
Milagu pongal is traditionally served hot with COCONUT CHUTNEY, SAMBAR or GOTSU, offering a wholesome and nutritious meal.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Milagu pongal is usually made completely with ghee. But, milagu pongal made completely with ghee can maintain the soft, porridge-like consistency only when it is served immediately. Generally, in restaurants and temples, oil is added along with ghee in the ratio of 1:1 or 2:1. Adding oil along with ghee helps to maintain the consistency of the milagu pongal for a long time.
I’ve made this recipe completely with ghee. I usually add oil when making it in large quantity, especially while serving it for parties and family gatherings.
This recipe can either be made in a cooking pot or a pressure cooker. I’ve made this recipe using a pressure cooker. Using pressure cooker makes the cooking process easy and convenient.
*I’ve used 5 litre pressure cooker to make this recipe.
INGREDIENTS FOR MILAGU PONGAL:
- RAW RICE – 1 CUP
- MOONG DHAL – 1/2 CUP
- GHEE – 1/2 CUP
- ASAFOETIDA – 1/2 TSP
- SALT – AS REQUIRED
- PEPPERCORNS – 1 TBSP
- CUMIN SEEDS – 1 TBSP
- CASHEWS – 1/4 CUP
- CURRY LEAVES – 15~20 NOS.
HOW TO MAKE MILAGU PONGAL:
- Wash and soak 1 cup of raw rice and 1/2 cup of moong dhal in water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- After about 20 minutes, drain the water and add the rice and dhal to the pressure cooker. Also add the required salt to it.
- To 1 cup of rice and dhal, add 3.5 cups of water. For 1.5 cups of rice and dhal, I’ve added 5.25 cups of water.
- Cover it, turn on the flame and pressure cook it for 3 whistles. After 3 whistles, turn off the flame. Once the pressure is released completely, open the lid.
- Mash it really well with a potato masher.
- Heat a tadka pan, and add 1/4 cup of ghee to it. Once the ghee is heated, add the cashews to it and fry them until it turns light golden brown in color.
- Once it turns light golden brown in color, transfer only the cashews to the mashed rice and dhal.
- In the same ghee, fry the curry leaves and add them to the pressure cooker along with the cashews. Mix everything well.
- Heat a kadai/pan, and add 1 tbsp of peppercorns and 1 tbsp of cumin seeds to it.
- Roast it on medium-low flame, until it turns aromatic or changes color. It takes about 1 to 2 minutes on medium-low flame.
- Once it turns aromatic, turn off the flame and let it cool down completely.
- Once it cools down completely, transfer it to a blender and blend it to a fine powder.
- Add the blended mixture to the pressure cooker along with 1/2 tsp of asafoetida.
- Also, add 1/4 cup of ghee to it and mix everything well.
YUMMY AND DELICIOUS MILAGU PONGAL IS READY.
SERVE IT HOT WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY, SAMBAR OR GOTSU.
VARIATIONS:
- Ghee can be substituted with oil and ghee in the ratio of 1:1. This helps to maintain the consistency for a long time.
- Any neutral oil can be used.
- I’ve used 5 litre pressure cooker for this recipe. 3 litre or 4 litre pressure cooker can also be used for this recipe.
- To make this recipe in a cooking pot, boil rice and dhal along with water for about 30 minutes on medium-high flame.
PRO TIPS:
- Rice and dhal should be in the ratio of 2:1.
- Soak the rice and dhal for at least 15 minutes. Soaking it for at least 15 minutes, helps the rice and dhal to cook really well and achieve the soft and mushy consistency.
- Mash the cooked rice and dhal completely before adding the cashews and curry leaves.
- Dry roast the peppercorns and cumin seeds on medium-low flame, for just about 1 to 2 minutes or until it turns aromatic.
- Blend the peppercorns and cumin seeds only after it is cools down completely.
- Peppercorns and cumin seeds should be blended to a fine powder. Also, make sure the blender is clean and dry before blending.
MILAGU PONGAL
Course: BREAKFASTCuisine: SOUTH INDIAN, TAMIL4
servings5
minutes30
minutes300
kcalMilagu pongal (pepper pongal) is a traditional South Indian savory dish made from rice, split yellow moong dhal, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, ghee and curry leaves. It is especially popular in Tamil Nadu, and is often prepared as a comforting breakfast or during festivals and temple offerings.
Milagu pongal has a soft, porridge-like texture and is known for its warm, mildly spicy flavor from freshly crushed black pepper and cumin. Ghee-roasted cashews are commonly added for richness and crunch. Milagu pongal is valued not only for its taste but also for its digestive and warming properties, making it a popular choice during cold weather or when recovering from illness.
Milagu pongal is traditionally served hot with COCONUT CHUTNEY, SAMBAR or GOTSU, offering a wholesome and nutritious meal.
Ingredients
RAW RICE – 1 CUP
MOONG DHAL – 1/2 CUP
GHEE – 1/2 CUP
ASAFOETIDA – 1/2 TSP
SALT – AS REQUIRED
PEPPERCORNS – 1 TBSP
CUMIN SEEDS – 1 TBSP
CASHEWS – 1/4 CUP
CURRY LEAVES – 15~20 NOS.
Directions
- Wash and soak 1 cup of raw rice and 1/2 cup of moong dhal in water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- After about 20 minutes, drain the water and add the rice and dhal to the pressure cooker. Also add the required salt to it.
- To 1 cup of rice and dhal, add 3.5 cups of water. For 1.5 cups of rice and dhal, I’ve added 5.25 cups of water.
- Cover it, turn on the flame and pressure cook it for 3 whistles. After 3 whistles, turn off the flame. Once the pressure is released completely, open the lid.
- Mash it really well with a potato masher.
- Heat a tadka pan, and add 1/4 cup of ghee to it. Once the ghee is heated, add the cashews to it and fry them until it turns light golden brown in color.
- Once it turns light golden brown in color, transfer only the cashews to the mashed rice and dhal.
- In the same ghee, fry the curry leaves and add them to the pressure cooker along with the cashews. Mix everything well.
- Heat a kadai/pan, and add 1 tbsp of peppercorns and 1 tbsp of cumin seeds to it.
- Roast it on medium-low flame, until it turns aromatic or changes color. It takes about 1 to 2 minutes on medium-low flame.
- Once it turns aromatic, turn off the flame and let it cool down completely.
- Once it cools down completely, transfer it to a blender and blend it to a fine powder.
- Add the blended mixture to the pressure cooker along with 1/2 tsp of asafoetida.
- Also, add 1/4 cup of ghee to it and mix everything well.
- YUMMY AND DELICIOUS MILAGU PONGAL IS READY.
Notes
- VARIATIONS:
Ghee can be substituted with oil and ghee in the ratio of 1:1. This helps to maintain the consistency for a long time.
Any neutral oil can be used.
I’ve used 5 litre pressure cooker for this recipe. 3 litre or 4 litre pressure cooker can also be used for this recipe.
To make this recipe in a cooking pot, boil rice and dhal along with water for about 30 minutes on medium-high flame.
PRO TIPS:
Rice and dhal should be in the ratio of 2:1.
Soak the rice and dhal for at least 15 minutes. Soaking it for at least 15 minutes, helps the rice and dhal to cook really well and achieve the soft and mushy consistency.
Mash the cooked rice and dhal completely before adding the cashews and curry leaves.
Dry roast the peppercorns and cumin seeds on medium-low flame, for just about 1 to 2 minutes or until it turns aromatic.
Blend the peppercorns and cumin seeds only after it cools down completely.
Peppercorns and cumin seeds should be blended to a fine powder. Also, make sure the blender is clean and dry before blending.