Welcome to one of South India’s most beloved comfort foods! Often called Ven Pongal, this savory version of khichari is a wonderfully creamy and satisfying porridge made from rice and lentils. It’s gently spiced, incredibly easy to digest, and packed with protein—in fact, the combination of rice and split peas provides 43% more usable protein than if you ate them separately! Topped with ghee-roasted cashews, this dish is a simple, wholesome, and utterly delicious meal perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
• Dal soaking time: 3–5 hoursPreparation time: 5 minutesCooking time: 1 hourServes: 5 or 6
• ⅓ cup / 65 g yellow or green split peas
• 7½ cups / 1.75 liters water, divided
• 5 tablespoons / 75 ml ghee, or a mix of vegetable oil and unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml fresh ginger root, scraped and minced
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml cumin seeds
• 6 whole cloves
• ¼ teaspoon / 1 ml yellow asafetida powder (hing)
• 1 cup / 195 g basmati or other long-grain white rice, washed and soaked
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml turmeric
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml freshly cracked black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons / 7 ml salt
• ⅓ cup / 50 g raw cashews, coarsely chopped
• 5 or 6 pats butter for garnishing, optional
• 5 or 6 parsley or cilantro sprigs for garnishing
• Note: This amount applies to yellow Cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths.
Instructions
1. Place the split peas in a bowl with 2 cups / 480 ml of hot water and soak for 3–5 hours. If using basmati rice, wash it until the water runs clear, then soak for 15-30 minutes before you start cooking.
2. Drain the soaked split peas. In a saucepan, bring 3 cups / 710 ml of water to a rapid boil, add the split peas, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a heavy 3-quart/liter nonstick saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons / 45 ml of the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the minced ginger, cumin seeds, and cloves. Sizzle until the cumin seeds turn a deep brown and become fragrant.
4. Stir in the asafetida powder, followed immediately by the drained rice. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Pour in 4 cups / 1 liter of water, then add the turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a full boil.
5. Stir in the par-cooked split peas. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the rice and dal are completely tender and have a thick, porridge-like consistency. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in up to ½ cup / 120 ml of hot water.
6. In a small pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons / 30 ml of ghee over low heat. Add the chopped cashews and stir-fry until they are a beautiful golden brown. Fold the roasted cashews into the finished pongal. Serve hot, garnished with an optional pat of butter and a fresh sprig of parsley or cilantro.
Nutritional Information
• Nutritional Highlights
• A high-protein dish, perfect for a balanced vegetarian diet.
• Combining split peas and rice provides 43% more usable protein than when they are eaten separately.
• This meal is famously easy to digest, making it a go-to comfort food.
• Enriched with healthy fats from cashews and ghee.
Pro Tips
• For a lighter version, dry-roast the cashews in a pan until golden, and reduce the ghee in the recipe to as little as 1 tablespoon / 15 ml.
• For a truly special meal, serve with crispy dal wafers (papadum), steamed spinach, and a cooling cucumber raita.
• For a creamier, ‘juicier’ pongal, stir in up to ½ cup / 120 ml of hot water after cooking until you reach your desired consistency.
• Asafetida (hing) potency varies by brand. If you are not using the brand specified, it’s best to start with a small pinch and adjust if needed.
