Say ponggalo Pongal!

You know we are a country of foodies when you have a festival inspired, celebrated and named after a dish. Pongal, also known Makar Sankranti celebrates a glorious harvest next week. Sunday MiD DAY brings you some traditional recipes which complete your Pongal feast

Chef Pavan Chennam, of ITC Maratha's south Indian restaurant Dakshin will celebrate Makar Sankranti with a special lunch and dinner menu on January 14, check out some of his recipes

Keerai Kadayil
(A delicate combination of lentils, spinach finished with tempering of desi ghee) For 1 portion

Ingredients
Weight / Measure Procedureu00a0
Chenna dal -- 50 gms
Moong dal -- 75 gms
Hara keera's leaf --u00a0 kg
Mustard -- 1 tsp
Cumin -- 1 tsp
Red chilli whole -- 10
Ghee -- 30 gms
Salt -- to taste
Tomato -- 25 gms
Green chilli -- 10
Oil -- 50 ml

Method
' Cut, wash and drain the Hara keerai leaves.
' Boil channa dal and moong dal till almost done.
' Add the Hara Keerai leaves and continue cooking till leaves are tender.
' Heat oil, crackle the red chilli whole, cumin whole, mustard seeds, cut tomatoes and saute.u00a0
u00a0 Add slit chilliesu00a0and stir once more and add to the cooked lentil and Hara keerai.
' Stir, adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Avial
(Garden fresh vegetables cooked in a coconut and yoghurt based gravy) For 4 portions

Ingredients
Weight / Measure Procedureu00a0
White pumpkin -- 100 gms
Carrot -- 100 gms
French Beans -- 100 gms
Karnekalangu (yam) -- 100 gms
Vazhakka (green banana) - 100 gms
Green chilli -- 50 gms
Turmeric powder -- 1 tsp
Whole cumin -- 1 tsp
Coconut -- 1 no
Curd -- 500 ml
Curry leaves -- 30 leaves
Coconut oil --u00a0 15 ml
Salt -- to taste

Method
' Cut the vegetables in finger shape.u00a0u00a0
' Cook the vegetables in a vessel in water with turmeric and salt.u00a0
' Now make a paste of coconut, green chilli and cumin and add it to the vegetables.u00a0 Cook for 2 minutes.u00a0
' Add curd and cook for 2 minutes.u00a0
' Add coconut oil and curry leaves and serve hot and bring down from fire.u00a0
' Serve hot

Ven Pongal
(A slow-cooked rice and lentil preparation, A specialty during the festival of Pongal)For 2 portion.

Ingredients
Weight / Measure Procedureu00a0 Raw rice -- 1cup
Moong dhal (green gram) -- 1 ladle
Pepper -- 1/2 spoon
Jeera/fenugreek -- 1/2 spoon
Ginger -- 1 piece
Cashew nut -- 4
Ghee -- 1 ladle
Salt -- 1/2 spoon
asafoetida powderu00a0

Method
' Rice, salt & dal. Add 1 & 1/2 tumbler (the same tumbler with which you had measured rice) of water to it & cook till soft.
' Add ghee to frying pan. Add pepper, cashew nut, asafoetida powder, jeera, and fenugreek to it and fry it for sometime.
' Add this to the rice mixture that was cooked.