Breakfast recipes need to be fuss free, quick, filling and ready with minimal prep work. This Varagu Arisi Pongal Recipe or Kodo Millet Pongal is just what you need! One Pot, Millet Breakfast ready in 30 minutes
Blogging today about an absolutely delicious South Indian Comfort Food and a popular rice dish - Ven Pongal Recipe made with Varagu Arisi or Kodo Millet and lentils. Including Sirudhaniyam or Millets in this traditional recipe, makes it more healthier, tastier and filling too.
Varagu Arisi is known as Kodo Millet in English. It is known as Arikelu in Telegu, Varak in Malayalam, Arka in Kannada, Kodra in Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi.
Ven Pongal is South Indian version of Khichdi. It has similar set of ingredients - Rice and Lentils.
However, certain ingredients give it a typical South Indian touch, like peppercorns and ginger for the heat, cashews for the crunch and curry leaves for the aroma. They are cooked in ghee and frankly, one shouldn't have it in any other way.
I am sure most of you must have tasted Ven Pongal at popular South Indian restaurants or at home too. While Khichdi world over is served as Main Course, Pongal is served as breakfast. The side dish is Sambar and Chutney.
Side Dish for Varagu Arisi Pongal
- Kothamalli Chutney (Coriander Coconut Chutney)
- Tomato Chutney or Thakkali Chutney
- Peerkangai Thol Chutney (Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney)
I also have a Pongal Recipe on the blog that is made with Samba Wheat or Godhumai Rava. Popularly known as Dalia or Broken Wheat. Do check out the recipe here.
We include Millets as part of our diet 2 days in a week so whether it is breakfast or tiffin (early dinner). They are far more filling as compared to rice.
Varagu Arisi or Kodo Millet is always available in my pantry and hence dishing out the recipe hardly takes any time.
This recipe can be made with any millet available in your pantry like Proso Millet (Pani Varagu), Foxtail Millet (Thinai or Navane) etc too. The cooking process too remains the same.
Varagu Arisi Pongal can be made under 30 minutes and all you need is a pressure cooker. It requires minimum presence in the kitchen and after 3-4 odd whistles, and a tempering later, pongal is ready to eat. I love such traditional recipes that are super convenient to cook and serve.
I have few recipes on the blog using Millets that you can try at home. Requires basic ingredients from the pantry too.
Some Millet Recipes to try at home
- Proso Millet Idli Recipe - Contains No Rice
- Ragi Idli or Finger Millet Idli - Made with Whole Ragi Seeds and not an instant recipe using flour.
- Foxtail Millet Upma or Thinai Upma
- Instant Kambu Dosai or Instant Pearl Millet (Bajra Flour) Dosa
Step by Step Varagu Arisi Pongal Recipe
Recipe Notes -
- Soak the millets and lentils (dal) for atleast 10 to 15 minutes before pressure cooking. It easily cooks and turns mushy, which is the right consistency for the pongal.
- If you have no time to soak, add extra 2 whistles while pressure cooking.
- Dry roasting the lentils gives it a good aroma, you can skip the step if required too or are making the recipe in a hurry.
- Adding turmeric powder is not mandatory. I add it because its good for health.
- For Vegan Version, skip the ghee and add vegan butter or vegetable oil as required.
- Add salt to the rice and dal while pressure cooking, it mixes evenly.
- Millets pongal turns thicker over time so its best to consume this immediately.
Varagu Arisi Pongal (Kodo Millet Ven Pongal Recipe)
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Yellow Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu / Split Yellow lentils 1/3 cup is 80 ml measurement
- 1/2 cup Kodo Millet / Varagu Arisi / Kodra 1/2 cup is 125 ml measurement
- 2 cups Water for cooking the lentils and millets Extra as required to soak the ingredients. 1 cup is 250 ml measurement.
- Pinch of Turmeric Powder or haldi powder
- 1 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter
- 10 nos Cashews
- 20 nos. Peppercorns
- 1 tsp Jeera or cumin seeds
- 2 tsp Grated Ginger or Adrak
- Few curry leaves as required
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a kadhai and dry roast the moong dal for couple of minutes. No need to brown the lentils. Remove and keep aside to cool.
- Wash the kodo millet or varagu arisi couple of times under running tap water.
- Wash the pasi paruppu or yellow moong dal and soak along with the kodo millet or varagu arisi for atleast 10 to 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, drain the water used for soaking, add 2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder, salt to taste and pressure cook for atleast 3-4 whistles.
- Once the pongal has cooked, prepare for tempering.
- Heat the kadhai, add 1 tbsp ghee, cashew nuts, peppercorns, jeera and ginger. Saute until the jeera and cashews brown a bit.
- Add curry leaves and then the cooked pongal. Mix well. If you find it thick, add a little water.
- Mix well, switch off the flame and serve immediately with a side dish of your choice.
Notes
- Soak the millets and lentils (dal) for atleast 10 to 15 minutes before pressure cooking. It easily cooks and turns mushy, which is the right consistency for the pongal. If you have no time to soak, add extra 2 whistles while pressure cooking.
- Dry roasting the lentils gives it a good aroma, you can skip the step if required too or are making the recipe in a hurry.
- Adding turmeric powder is not mandatory. I add it because its good for health.
- For Vegan Version, skip the ghee and add vegan butter or vegetable oil as required.
- Add salt to the rice and dal while pressure cooking, it mixes evenly.
- Millets pongal turns thicker over time so its best to consume this immediately.
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Vidya Narayan
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