WISH YOU ALL HAPPY PONGAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pongal is a four-day festival celebrated with lot of excitement in Tamil Nadu. It is observed in the Tamil month, Thai Masam. This is not only festive day, its also another exciting day for us because its my son's birthday too. Ok, coming to the food part we prepare

1. Paal Pongal(Milk pongal with salt)
2. Chakkara Pongal(Sweet Pongal)
3. Kuzhambhu or Pulusu made with all country vegetables which is the best combo with Paal Pongal.


Lets know more about pongal festival before we eat it.....

Pongal is the biggest harvest festival celebrated as thanks giving occasion to the nature. Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal, Kannum Pongal are the four festivals. And this year it falls on Jan 14th,15th,16th and 17th respectively.

Bhogi Pongal :

Bhogi Pongal or Bogi festival is the first day of Pongal celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.Bogi festival is dedicated to Lord Indra, the God of clouds and rains.

On Bhogi Pongal, people clean and white wash their houses. They store unwanted and waste goods for this festival. They Keep their houses attractive and to welcome all Gods they draw beautiful Kolam.In some areas, cow dung balls are also kept on kolams.

In the evening, the main ritual called ?Bhogi Mantalu? or the sacred bonfire is performed. The waste material is kept in middle and set fire. In some places, people dance around the Bhogi Mantalu or sacred bonfire.




Surya Pongal :

Surya Pongal is the second day of pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. As the name suggests, the festival is dedicated to Surya or Sun God. Surya Pongal is celebrated as Makar Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and North Indian states. This is also the first day of the Tamil month of Thai masam. Kolam is the main attraction of Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. Women folk take it as a challenge to decorate their houses with beautiful kolam designs.

Surya Puja is the most important ritual during Surya Pongal festival. Devotees offer naivedyam of milk and jaggery to Lord Surya. Milk is boiled in every house in a clay pot and when the boiled spills out from the pot, children shout out ?Pongal ? oh ? Pongal?. In some places, Pongal (rice recipe) is cooked.




Mattu pongal or Kanuma :

Kanuma festival is the third day of four-day Sankranthi festival celebrated in Andhra Pradesh. Kanuma festival is celebrated as Mattu Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Mattu Pongal is dedicated to the cattle. Mattu pongal is celebrated on the next day of Pongal to honour bulls which works hard throughout the year. Bulls are given bath, their Horns are painted and decorated.Jallikattu, the ancient and bull taming festival, which is celebrated in some rural districts. In Alanganallur a village about few kilometers from Madurai it is one of the most popular events. This sport is also known as "Manju Virattu", meaning "chasing the bull".

Govardhana Puja or Go puja (worship of cows) is the major ritual during Kanuma. It is believed that Lord Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhana parvatham (Mount Govardhan) to save the farmers and people of Gokulam. Lord krishna?s victory over headstrong Indra is celebrated as kanuma pongal.





Kaanum Pongal or Karinal :

Kaanum Pongal is the final day of Sankranti celebrations.
As the name indicates Kaanum pongal is essentially a day of relaxation. On this day people arrange huge feasts, invite friends and relatives.

In some places, on this day bullock cart races and cock fightings are held. In some rural part of Tamil Nadu, People perform the ritual "Kummippattu". People Mingle freely and this gives opportunities to initiate new relationships.

So coming to the Food part...

Many people they use new vessel for making pongal they decorate with Mineral slaked lime(Sunnam or Sunnambu or Chunna), Kumkum and Chandanam(sandal wood powder)

Chakkara pongal or Sakkara Pongal(ver-I) :



Ingredients:

Raw rice (preferably new one) - 1 cup (Soak for 1hr if it is old rice else few minutes is enough) Milk - 7 cups (Since I had old rice it takes extra 1 cup for cooking)
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup shredded
Cardamom - 4 pods powdered with little sugar
Cashewnuts - 10 to 12 broken
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Raisins - few



Method :

1. Boil the milk in the heavy bottom vessel. Once it is boiling add the washed rice.
2. Stir occasionally, meanwhile take the jaggery in a vessel add 2 tbsp of water and let it melt. 3.Once it is melted strain it using tea strainer and keep it aside.
4.Cook the rice until it is mushy and now add the filtered Jaggery.
5. Mix well and now add half amount of ghee.
6. Once it is blended well add the powdered cardamom.
7. Now in seperate pan fry the cashew and raisins in ghee.
8. Now add these nuts and remaining ghee to the pongal mix well and serve...

Yummy creamy Sweet pongal is now ready..........


Pal Pongal :

Ingredients:

Raw rice (preferably new one) - 1 cup (Soak for 1hr if it is old rice else few minutes is enough) Milk - 7 cups (Since I had old rice it takes extra 1 cup for cooking)
Salt - 1/2 tbsp



Method :

1. Boil the milk in the heavy bottom vessel. Once it is boiling add the washed rice.
2. Stir occasionally.
3.Cook the rice is well cooked. Add salt and serve with Pongal pulusu or KUzhambhu.



Mixed vegetable Pulusu or Pongal Pulusu:



Ingredients :

Chikkudu Kaya(Mochai, Indian broad beans) - 1/4 cup
Annumulu (Surthi lilva papdi) - 1/4 cup
Japanese sweet potato(Chakkara vallikilangu) - 1 chopped to big chunks
Yellow Pumpkin(parangi Kaya or Gummadikaya) - 1 slice deseeded chopped in big chunks with skin
Brinjal - 3 chopped into big chunks
Raw peanuts soaked and boiled - 3 tbsp (optional)
Ginger - 1 inch finely chopped
Green chilli- 3 sliced
Tamarind extract - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard for seasoning
Coriander for garnishing





For spice paste :

Fry all these ingredients with tsp of oil make a paste of it.
Channa dhal - 1 tbsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Fenu greek - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 6 or according to ur spicelevel
Coconut grated - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Boil all the vegetables. You can do it in microwave too.
2. To this add the add tamarind pulp, Jaggery, Curry leaves, Ginger, Chilli, Ground paste.
3. Add salt and let it cook for sometime.
4. Once it is done season with mustard and curry leaves.
5. Garnish with coriander serve with pongal.

Note :

Adjust the sourness, spicy and the sweet according to your taste buds.


ENJOY PONGAL !!!!!!!!!! WISH YOU ALL HAPPY PONGAL !!!!!!!!!!!!