Millet Ven Pongal Thinai Pongal

Last month during Thai Pongal festival I made this Millet Ven Pongal / Thinai Venn Pongal / Savory foxtail millet Khichdi. Foxtail Millet/Thinai is the only millet we usually get in Asian store nearby. Today is

Thaipusam, a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). History speaks this festival is mainly related to Tamil God Muruga who destroyed the evils using Vel/Spear given by Goddess Parvathi on that day.  I am glad to share one such healthy millet recipe during this special occasion…

Pongal Recipe Collections

• Foxtail Millet Sweet Pongal
• Clay Pot Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)
• Brown Rice Sakkarai Pongal
• Stove top Sweet Pongal/ Karupatti Pongal
• Proso Millet Savory Pongal/Pani Varagu Savory Pongal
• Brown Rice Oats Khara (Savory) Pongal
• Pongal Gravy / Mochai Kottai Puli Kuzhambu
• Pachai Mochai Kottai Poriyal
• Pachai Mochai Pidukku Kuzhambu

Maual Pressure Cooker Millet Ven Pongal

• Wash and soak the millet (Pic 1) for at least 30 minutes.
• Wash and soak the moong dal separately for 10 minutes not more than that.
• Meanwhile keep the other stuffs ready.
• In a kadai/pan add oil or ghee temper mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds.
• When mustard and cumin crackles add whole pepper, chopped green chilis and curry leaves (or you can coarsely grind all as shown in the video tutorial).
• Saute everything for a minute or 2 , add chopped cashews now or later after the pongal got cooked.
• Add the soaked moong dal (Pic 2), fry it for 2-3 minutes in medium flame till nice aroma attains (Pic 3).

• Now add soaked thinai/foxtail millet (Pic 3), turmeric powder (Pic 4) mix everything well, add salt.
• In a pressure cooker pour 3 and 1/2 cups of water to the prepared millet mixture.
• Adjust salt , give a nice stir and allow 3 hisses, when pressure goes off completely (Pic 5), open the lid and mix pongal from top to bottom (Pic 6).
• “For tempering”, this is optional. In the same kadai/pan add ghee followed by mustard seeds, cashew nuts (sauté until golden brown) and add this thalipu/sizzling mixture over the cooked pongal.
• Serve the hot millet pongal with Coconut Chutney , Sambar and Vada.

Millet Ven Pongal Ingredients

Thinai/Foxtail Millet – 1 Cup
Yellow Split Moong Dal/Pasi Paruppu – 1/3 Cup
Cumin Seeds – 1.25tsp
Green Chili – 3-4 Numbers (Small)
Whole Black Peppercorns – 3/4tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4tsp
Salt and Oil or Ghee – As Needed
Ginger – 2 inches
Whole or Chopped Curry Leaves – Few
Hing/Asafoetida – A Pinch (Optional)
Cashew Nuts – 2-3 Tbsp (finely chopped)
Mustard Seeds – 1 /4tsp

Video Demo Explanation

I have made both sweet and savory Pongal in one pot, one shot. The video at the end of the post clearly explains the procedure I did

• Soaked millets separately for both dishes.
• Added ghee, First sautéed Fruit, nuts for sweet Pongal, kept aside.
• Later added few drops of ghee, sautéed ingredients for savory Pongal
• Sautéed dal , added soaked millets and necessary water to cook in Instant pot inner pot.
• Can use trivet and it’s optional, Now I placed the millet soaked for sweet Pongal with necessary water over it and covered it properly(otherwise savory stuff get into it).
• Pressure cooked and once done, mashed the plain cooked millet, added sugar syrup, fried nuts, Cardamom powder etc and sweet pongal is ready.
• By the way savory Foxtail Millet Pongal is also ready , mashed and served hot.

Instant Pot Millet Ven Pongal

• Rinse and soak millet (Pic 1 & 3) for at least 30 minutes ahead of preparation.
• Measure dal/lentil, rinse and keep aside(Pic 2& 3).
• Coarsely grind pepper, cumin, ginger, green chili (pic 4) and keep aside (Pic 5).
• Set Instant pot to medium sauté mode.
• Add ghee or oil to the instant pot inner pot.
• You can fry cashews to golden brown and add to Pongal while serving for crunchy effect but I added while sautéing other ingredients.
• Add mustard seeds when it crackles add curry leaves.
• Now add ground spices , turmeric powder and sauté till nice aroma attains.

• Add moong dal and do fry for a minute (Pic 6).
• Cancel the sauté mode, add soaked millets (Pic 7) and for 1 cup (including dal/lentil) add 3 cups of water for grainy texture and 3.5cups to 4 cups for gooey Pongal.
• If you soaked the millet for more than an hour do reduce water quantity.
• Add salt, stir it, close the lid and make sure the lid is in sealing position to cook.
• Either you can cook directly in the inner pot or use Pot In Pot method.
• In Picture 8 , I cooked savory pongal in the IP inner pot, and used PIP to cook millets for sweet pongal.
• Set the IP in high pressure for 8 minutes.

• Let the pressure release naturally or depressurize after 15 minutes.
• Open the lid by pressing the valve in vent mode/ by releasing pressure if any.
• Once the millet is perfectly cooked (Pic 9), Mash them well.
• If the Pongal consistency looks grainy add optional milk or few tbsps of hot water and simmer for couple of minutes.
• Or simmer over stove for few mins with necessary water.
• Once its cooked well (Pic 10), can decorate with fried nuts and serve Pongal hot ☺️ with chutney , sambar and brinjal goshtu.

Millet Ven Pongal Video Recipe

Millet Ven Pongal Recipe Card

Print

Millet Ven Pongal Savory Pongal

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Saok Time

30 mins

 

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Author: Sangeetha Priya

Ingredients

• Thinai/Foxtail Millet – 1 Cup
• Yellow Split Moong Dal/Pasi Paruppu – 1/3 Cup
• Cumin Seeds – 1.25tsp
• Green Chili – 3-4 Numbers Small
• Whole Black Peppercorns – 3/4tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4tsp
• Salt and Oil or Ghee – As Needed
• Ginger – 2 inches
• Whole or Chopped Curry Leaves – Few
• Hing/Asafoetida – A Pinch Optional
• Cashew Nuts – 2-3 Tbsp finely chopped
• Mustard Seeds – 1 /4tsp

Instructions

Instant Pot Millet Ven Pongal

1. Rinse and soak millet for at least 30 minutes ahead of preparation.
2. Measure dal/lentil, rinse and keep aside.
3. Coarsely grind pepper, cumin, ginger, green chili and keep aside.
4. Set Instant pot to medium sauté mode.
5. Add ghee or oil to the instant pot inner pot.
6. You can fry cashews to golden brown and add to Pongal while serving for crunchy effect but I added while sautéing other ingredients.
7. Add mustard seeds when it crackles add curry leaves.
8. Now add ground spices , turmeric powder and sauté till nice aroma attains.
9. Add moong dal and do fry for a minute.
10. Cancel the sauté mode, add soaked millets and for 1 cup (including dal/lentil) add 3 cups of water for grainy texture and 3.5cups to 4 cups for gooey Pongal.
11. If you soaked the millet for more than an hour do reduce water quantity.
12. Add salt, stir it, close the lid and make sure the lid is in sealing position to cook.
13. Either you can cook directly in the inner pot or use Pot In Pot method.
14. Set the IP in high pressure for 8 minutes.
15. Let the pressure release naturally or depressurize after 15 minutes.
16. Open the lid by pressing the valve in vent mode/ by releasing pressure if any.
17. Once the millet is perfectly cooked, Mash them well.
18. If the Pongal consistency looks grainy add optional milk or few tbsps of hot water and simmer for couple of minutes.
19. Or simmer over stove for few mins with necessary water.
20. Once its cooked well , can decorate with fried nuts and serve Pongal hot ☺️ with chutney , sambar and brinjal gojju.

Pressure Cooker Millet Ven Pongal

1. Wash and soak the millet for at least 30 minutes.
2. Wash and soak the moong dal separately for 10 minutes not more than that.
3. Meanwhile keep the other stuffs ready.
4. In a kadai/pan add oil or ghee temper mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds.
5. When mustard and cumin crackles add whole pepper, chopped green chilis and curry leaves (or you can coarsely grind all as shown in the video tutorial).
6. Saute everything for a minute or 2 , add chopped cashews now or later after the pongal got cooked.
7. Add the soaked moong dal, fry it for 2-3 minutes in medium flame till nice aroma attains (Pic 3).
8. Now add soaked thinai/foxtail millet , turmeric powder mix everything well, add salt.
9. In a pressure cooker pour 3 and 1/2 cups of water to the prepared millet mixture.
10. Adjust salt , give a nice stir and allow 3 hisses, when pressure goes off completely, open the lid and mix pongal from top to bottom.
11. “For tempering”, this is optional. In the same kadai/pan add ghee followed by mustard seeds, cashew nuts (sauté until golden brown) and add this thalipu/sizzling mixture over the cooked pongal.
12. Serve the hot millet pongal with Coconut Chutney , Sambar and Vada.