Spice up your Pongal celebrations this January with these colourful and delightful goodies, perfect for breakfast, and lunch, and to munch on for an evening tea break with family and friends. As this festival brings loved ones together, there is no better way to express your gratitude and love than by treating them to some delicious homemade preparations. Here are some of our top choices to make your Pongal yummy, aromatic and memorable.
Lunch Options
1.Sweet Pongal
Also known as Sakkarai Pongal, Sweet Pongal is prepared using rice and mung lentils, which are then flavoured with cardamom and dry fruits. This porridge-like preparation will be sweet, healthy and ideal for a fulfilling meal.
2. Rava Pongal
Rava Pongal can be easily prepared in your home kitchen with our 7 Star Semolina as the base ingredient. This breakfast preparation is made using Rava (semolina) and mung dhal, ideally served with curd, coconut chutney or mango pickle.
3. Bisi Bele Bath
This Karnataka speciality is a delicious meal crafted using rice, mixed vegetables and lentils. This spicy, yet slightly tangy lunch dish is certain to leave your guests longing for more.
4. Lemon Rice
A little sour and crunch for lunch! This flavourful recipe originated in South India and can be easily cooked with rice, spiced lemon and peanuts.
5. Aruchavitta Sambar
What is a Pongal meal without a sambar dish? Prepare this delectable Aruchavitta Sambar to complement your rice dishes. Made with roasted and ground sambar masala, it is ideally prepared in Tamil Brahmin homes.
Dessert Options
1. Til ke Ladoo
Sweeten up your post-lunch hour with some Til ke Ladoo. This ladoo with a twist uses sesame seeds to sprinkle some magic to the sweet, and the jaggery syrup and sesame seed combination is one of the best in town.
2. Bobbatlu
Fancy frying up some Pongal-style flatbread? The recipe for making Bobbatlu is simple and effective. This Indian sweet flatbread originated in the southern part of the country and carries on as one of the mandatory delicacies for the festival.
3. Unniyappam
These sweet fritters for your Pongal evening table are made with rice, jaggery, banana, coconut and spices. Bananas can also be replaced with jackfruit, which was a very popular substitute back in the 1990s.
4. Rava Kheer
Your 20-minute pudding. Ideal for amateur cooks, this semolina-based sweet dish can be prepared in a short amount of time. Rava Kheer is sweet, yummy and ideal for a Pongal meal.
5. Mysore Pak
Following a delicious Pongal lunch, Mysore Pak will be the ideal snack for tea time. This square-shaped sweet is made with ghee, sugar and gram flour, and will let your taste buds journey to the land of Mysore with its authentic flavour.
