Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Eating "Ven Pongal".


Ven Pongal, is rice cooked to a mush, with light spices and relished with coconut chutney and sambar... a great south indian breakfast dish.

The name Pongal also signifies big indian festival of "Makar Sankranti" (like thanksgiving) where the dish called Pongal is made with jaggery or sugar cooked together...Pongal starts on January 14 of each year. The celebration lasts for three days. On the first day, Pongal is offered to Bhogi or Indran (the rain gods) for providing rain for the harvest. On the second day, pongal is offered to the Sun. On the third day, the family's cattle (mattu) is cleaned and dressed up with flowers, bells, and colors. This is the day to honor the cattle's hard work for plowing the fields.

here are the recipes of both Sarkarai pongal and Ven pongal ....
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6 comments:

Anonymous Tue Oct 17, 10:12:00 AM GMT+5:30  

Nice posting of the ven pongal

UAE ALIAS Tue Oct 17, 11:01:00 AM GMT+5:30  

yummmmmmmmmmmy

Eric Tue Oct 17, 11:13:00 AM GMT+5:30  

Thank you for the explanation. It really helps me learn more about your culture and others' when there's a nice photo to look at while reading the story. I thought there was another holiday going on in India now as well, where one gives money to employees, family, etc? Diwali?

Unknown Tue Oct 17, 11:36:00 AM GMT+5:30  

yes Eric, deewai is just around the corner (next week). Let me try and bring some diwali perspective via some posts...

thanks...keeps me going!

Unknown Tue Oct 17, 11:37:00 AM GMT+5:30  

Type > pls read
Deewai > Deewali

aphotographerinparis Wed Oct 18, 03:36:00 AM GMT+5:30  

This looks so good and it is the type of dish you cannot easily find in an Indian restaurant in Paris where most of the time it is tandoori, Byriani and all the international classics.
Finding a dosa is already a miracle. Dosa masala... I love them!