Wishing you all a Very Happy Pongal / Sankranti :-). I am here with a recipe for healthy Pani Varagu Venn Pongal (Proso Millet Khichdi) and detailed with video tutorial. Proso Millet / Pani Varagu (in Tamil) has more health benefits like reduce cholestrol, rich in calcium and reduces risk of heart diseases (according to wiki). Recently I got several millets sent by my Sister-In-Law so I have used this Proso millet in pongal form. Instead of Proso Millet same can be done with Vargu (Kodo Millet) or Thinai. Click HERE for Thinai (Foxtail Millet) Venn Pongal Recipe which has a different method of making.
Pongal Recipe Collections
- Clay Pot Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)
- Palm Jaggery Pongal in Stove / Karupatti Pongal
- Brown Rice Sakkarai Pongal
- Foxtail Millet Savory Pongal / Thinal Venn Pongal
- Brown Rice Oats Khara (Savory) Pongal
- Pongal Gravy / Mochai Kottai Puli Kuzhambu
- Pachai Mochai Kottai Poriyal
- Pachai Mochai Pidukku Kuzhambu
Method
- Wash and Soak millets and yellow moong dal together for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile get ready with the other ingredients.
- Pressure cook the millet and dal with 3 cups of water for three hisses.
- In a Pan / kadai , add 1 tbsp ghee.
- When its hot temper mustard seeds then add whole pepper / cumin seeds (if using), grated ginger, green chili , optional hing and curry leaves.
- Saute for few minutes say 5 minutes in medium flame finally add roasted cumin powder (if using) and salt.
- Add everything to the cooked pongal.
- Now In the same pan add remaining ghee, fry the cashews till golden brown and add it to pongal.
- Mix them all together adjust salt and serve hot with Sambar, Coconut Chutney and Vada. That’s the classic combo 🙂
- Also I have added Avara Kottai / Beans Stir Fry, yielded from my backyard garden in last summer and kept in freezer till use.
- My H likes grainy/dry version as looking in the pictures but you want little watery pongal add 4 cups of water while cooking.
- Otherwise add necessary hot water after mixing the tempered stuff.
Ingredients
Pani Varagu / Proso Millet - 1 Cup Moong Dal - 1/3 Cup Chopped or Grated Ginger - 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds or Cumin Powder - 1.5 tsp Whole Pepper - 1 tsp Slit Green Chili - 2- 3 Numbers Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds- 1/4 tsp Curry Leaves - Few Optional Hing Salt - As Needed Ghee - 2 Tbsp OR More Water - 3 Cups Cashew Nuts - 1.5 Tbsp *3 cups water for perfect grain texture add .5 to 1cup more water for gooey texture.
Video Tutorial
Recipe Card
Pani Varagu Venn Pongal Video Recipe பனி வரகு வென் பொங்கல்
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Learn to make Pressure Cooker Millet Venn Pongal !
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Indian
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Pani Varagu / Proso Millet – 1 Cup
- Moong Dal – 1/3 Cup
- Chopped or Grated Ginger – 1 Tbsp
- Cumin seeds or Cumin Powder – 1.5 tsp
- Whole Pepper – 1 tsp
- Slit Green Chili – 2- 3 Numbers
- Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
- Mustard Seeds- 1/4 tsp
- Curry Leaves – Few
- Optional Hing
- Salt – As Needed
- Ghee – 2 Tbsp OR More
- Water – 3 Cups
- Cashew Nuts – 1.5 Tbsp
Instructions
-
Wash and Soak millets and yellow moong dal together for 15 – 20 minutes.
-
Meanwhile get ready with the other ingredients.
-
Pressure cook the millet and dal with 3 cups of water for three hisses.
-
In a Pan / kadai , add 1 tbsp ghee.
-
When its hot temper mustard seeds then add whole pepper / cumin seeds (if using), grated ginger, green chili , optional hing and curry leaves.
-
Saute for few minutes say 5 minutes in medium flame finally add roasted cumin powder (if using) and salt.
-
Add everything to the cooked pongal.
-
Now In the same pan add remaining ghee, fry the cashews till golden brown and add it to pongal.
-
Mix them all together adjust salt and serve hot with Sambar, Coconut Chutney and Vada. That’s the classic combo 🙂
-
Also I have added Avara Kottai / Beans Stir Fry, yielded from my backyard garden in last summer and kept in freezer till use.
Recipe Notes
- You can temper first and add all of those with millet and dal in the pressure cooker as explained in Thinal Venn Pongal Recipe.
- Instead of pressure cooker use instant pot or regular pot, just adjust water accordingly.
Notes
- You can temper first and add all of those with millet and dal in the pressure cooker as explained in Thinal Venn Pongal Recipe.
- Instead of pressure cooker use instant pot or regular pot, just adjust water accordingly.
- Will be posting the Medhu Vada Recipe Shortly…
- Pachai Avara Kottai Poriyal (similar to this recipe)
- Tiffin Sambar/Araithuvitta Sambar
- Coconut Chutney and
- Medhu Vada / Savory Lentil Donuts
Being a millet lover, I liked this recipe. It is healthy and definitely, it would be tasty too. I just want to know one thing, Can I use here pearl millet instead of proso millet? I think proso millet is not easily available grain in Kolkata.