Pongal - The harvest festival

 Pongal - Thai Pongal the harvest festival of India, is celebrated as a four day festival starting with Bhogi, the last day of the month of Margazhi, Pongal - the first day of the month of Thai, Maatu Pongal - honouring the cows, bulls and buffaloes that help and the last day is Kaanum Pongal. The main festival of this 4 day festival is the Thai Pongal and this is celebrated as Makara Sankaranthi all over India. This day marks the journey of sun northwards and is called as Uttarayanam. 

This is the first festival of Gregorian Calender year and this marks the beginning of all auspicious events in any family. Thanking Sun God for all the abundant wealth he had given to the farmers is the main purpose of this festival. 

New mud pots are purchased and Sweet and Venn Pongal are prepared in these pots. The pots are deocated with rice flour, turmeric plants. All the vegetables are used to make thalatham or thalagam. Find below all the recipes that are made for Pongal. Also apart from the regular Pongal with jaggery.

As it is mandatory to use as much vegetables as possible depending upon the region and family tradition, either Thalatham or 7 kari kuzhambu or Aviyal is made as the side dish for Venn Pongal. 

Menu for the Pongal Festival

Chakkara Pongal

Venn Pongal

Thalatham or 7 kari kuzhambu or Aviyal

Ulunthu Vadai

Thengai Pachadi

Vazhaikkai Curry or Podimas

Rasam

Home made curd

Thalagam/Thalatham/Thalatha Kuzhambu/Ericha Kuzhambu - A special side dish for Ven Pongal on Pongal Day

This is a special side dish made on Pongal. For this only the following vegetables are used and these vegetables are a must.

Ingredients:
White pumpin - 100 gms
Sweet Potato - 100 gms
Yellow pumpkin - 100 gms
Raw plantain - 1 no.
Drumstick - 1 no.
Avarai - 100 gms.
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Tamarind paste - 2 spoons
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Bengal gram - 2 tbs
Coriander seeds - 4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 8 to 12 nos
Pea nut - 2 tbsp
sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Fenu greek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Asafodeita - 1 pinch
Salt to taste

Method:
Dry roast the sesame seeds separately till they splutter. When cool grind it separately and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the grated coconut separately. Heat another tbsp of oil and fry coriander seeds, bengal gram, peanut and 6 red chillies adding one by one. When they turn golden brown in colour remove and let it cool. Grind it along with the fried coconut.

Cut all the vegetables into small cubes. Heat 2 cups of water in a shallow vessel. Add salt, turmeric powder, tamarind paste. Let it come to a boil and when the raw smell of the tamarind goes add the cut vegetables cover and reduce the flame. Let the vegetables get cooked soft. Add the ground paste and a cup of water. Mix thoroughly and bring it to a boil. Ensure that it doesnot settle at the bottom. Remove from flame.

Temper mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, green chillies, remaining red chillies. Cut curry leaves and spread it on the thalatam. Pour the tempering on top of the curry leaves. Mix well and serve it with Ven Pongal on Pongal day.

If this thalatham is left, the next day heat 2 to 3 tbsp of gingely oil and fry it well. Add the left over rasam, or kuzhambu or vathakuzhambu or koottu that is made on the next day. In olden days and also in villages, the kuzhambu is kept in a kalchatti and the flame keeps burning. It is had for 3 to 4 days. This is called as Ericha Kuzhambu and it tastes heavenly. 

This can be made as a sambar too by adding cooked thuvar dal. But if Thuvar Dal is added this need to be finished on the same day.

Sarkarai Pongal - A sweet recipe for any festival

This is one recipe which is made very often at home especially on fridays of the Tamil month of Thai and Aadi. This is also one Pongal that is made during the festival of Pongal.

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
Milk - 4 cups
Cardamom - 2 pieces (grind it to fine powder)
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 pieces
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 12 pieces

Method:
In a dry pan fry the rice and moong dal separately till a nice aroma is emitted. Pressure cook the rice and dal together with 2 cups of milk and 5 cups of water. Cook for almost 5 whistles. Mash it thoroughly when the rice is warm. Heat the remaining 2 cups of milk in a solid bottom vessel or pan and add the mashed rice to it and mix thoroughly. Slice the jaggery and add it to the rice and milk and mix thoroughly. Add cardamom powder and mix again.

Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and add it to the cooked Sarkarai Pongal.