Malli Pongal Recipe: A Delicious Twist on a South Indian Breakfast Staple That You Simply Can’t Resist

Among all the staple breakfast dishes in Tamil Nadu, pongal holds a very special place. This dish is associated with Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu which is usually celebrated on 14th or 15th January, the first day of the 10th month of the Tamil calendar. It marks the end of the winter solstice. The first pongal of the year is usually a ‘paal pongal’ (milk pongal) where the first rice crop of the year is cooked with milk and a pinch of salt. In most villages and even urban centres of Tamil Nadu, paal pongal is cooked in earthenware pots which have a festive look and are surrounded by freshly harvested ginger and turmeric.
But this is not the version of Pongal that is usually eaten all year round for breakfast. It is Venn Pongal which translates to White Pongal. This dish combines raw rice with moong dhal (Paasi paruppu in Tamil) and is flavoured with peppercorns and curry leaves. It was in Coimbatore that I first discovered a delicious variation of the traditional Pongal as we know it. I didn’t come to try this dish at the Shree Anandhaas outlet at Lakshmi Mills Junction. I was there for their popular Karupatti Mysore Pak which is made with palm jaggery, but it was the breakfast special of the day that made the biggest impact.
Read also : How to Make Dalia Pongal? A Simple and Healthy Dish You’ll Love to Devour

Shree Anandhaas is one of the most popular vegetarian restaurants in Coimbatore, along with another local favourite – Annapoorna. I have tried quite a few innovative dishes here, including their chikoo kesari (similar to sheera), but it is their Malli Pongal that is one of the standout dishes on their menu. It is not available every day at the restaurant, however. This green version of Pongal incorporates the unique flavour and colour of coriander (malli or kothamalli is the Tamil word for coriander). Although Malli Pongal is a recent innovation, it still tastes like a pongal and has similar textures. Hence, it will not shock the old-timers who are particularly picky about their Pongal.
This dish is not just about the fresh aromas of coriander, it is also infused with coconut milk which adds to its creamy texture. The cooking process is quite similar to a classic Venn Pongal, except for a batter that incorporates key ingredients like cumin, peppercorns, ginger, green chillies and cashew nuts. This is in addition to the ingredients used for the ‘tempering process’. While it works well with Sambar, it is even better with coconut chutney. Malli Pongal is a delicious twist on the classic Pongal and works equally well as a breakfast option or an all-day snack or a light dinner option. You can try this easy recipe at home:
Read also : Watch: Make Instant Pot Corn Appetizers in Minutes for a Healthy South Indian Breakfast

Malli Pongal Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 cup of moong dhal
• 10 cashew nuts, broken
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• A pinch of hinge
• A sprig of curry leaves
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2-3 tablespoons of ghee
• 2-3 tablespoons of oil
• Salt as needed

Ingredients for grinding:

• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 5 cashew nuts
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1-2 green chillies
• 1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

Method:

• Wash the rice and moong dal well. Drain the water and keep aside.
• Add all ingredients (listed under grinding ingredients) and blend until smooth in a blender.
• Add 4-5 cups of water with salt (to taste) in a pressure cooker. Add washed rice and moong dal once the water starts boiling. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Set aside.
• Heat ghee and oil in a pan and ‘temper’ peppercorns, cumin seeds, cashew nuts, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Add the ground paste and fry for 2 minutes on low flame.
• Add the coconut milk to the rice and dal mixture once it is pressure cooked. Stir well.
• Add the masala paste (with the ingredients that have been “tempered”) and stir well.
• Let it cook on the stove for about 2 minutes on low heat. Add more ghee at the end, once the heat is off.
• Serve hot with sambar or coconut chutney.

About Ashwin RajagopalanI am a content architect, writer, speaker, and cultural intelligence coach. School lunch boxes are usually the beginning of our culinary discoveries. This curiosity has not waned. It has only grown stronger as I have explored culinary cultures, street food, and fine dining restaurants around the world. I have discovered cultures and destinations through culinary motifs. I am equally passionate about writing about consumer technology and travel.