Ven Pongal Recipe (Savoury Pepper and Ghee Pongal)

Quick answer: Ven Pongal is raw rice and split yellow moong dal cooked soft and mashed, then seasoned with ghee, black pepper, cumin, ginger, curry leaves and cashews. It is the savoury partner to Sakkarai Pongal on the Pongal festival and a familiar winter-morning dish. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 20 to 35 minutes to cook.

What is Ven Pongal and when is it made?

Ven means white in Tamil, so ven pongal is "white pongal", the unsweetened kind. It is also called khara pongal (spicy pongal) in Karnataka and ghee pongal in many homes. On Thai Pongal many Tamil households cook a sweet pot and a savoury pot, so the meal after the offering to the Sun has both. It is also a common breakfast and temple offering in Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January), the month that leads into Pongal. See our Dhanurmasam guide for that month.

Whether ven pongal is placed before the deity as naivedyam depends on family and temple custom. Many homes offer only the sweet pongal on Thai Pongal and serve the savoury one with the meal.

Ingredients

The ratio of rice to dal varies from home to home, from equal parts to three parts rice. Two parts rice to one part dal is a good middle.

How to make Ven Pongal on the stovetop

1. Dry-roast the moong dal on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it smells nutty. Do not let it brown.
2. Add the rice, wash both together two or three times and drain.
3. Bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a heavy pot. Add the rice and dal, lower the heat, half-cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Add more hot water if it looks dry.
4. When both are very soft, add the salt and mash well with a ladle.
5. Lightly crush half the peppercorns and leave the rest whole.
6. Heat the ghee in a small pan on low heat. Add the cashews and fry until golden.
7. Add the cumin, peppercorns, ginger and curry leaves, then the asafoetida. Stir for 30 seconds.
8. Pour the seasoning over the pongal and mix. Add a splash of hot water if it is stiff.

Ven pongal should be soft and spoonable. It firms up as it sits, so serve it loose.

Pressure cooker, Instant Pot and rice cooker

Pressure cooker: Cook the washed rice and dal with 4 cups (960 ml) water and the salt on medium heat for 4 to 5 whistles. Let the pressure drop on its own, mash and season as in steps 5 to 8.

Instant Pot: Use Pressure Cook (high) for 12 minutes with 4 cups water and a full natural release. Mash, then add the seasoning. You can fry the seasoning first on Sauté, but add the rice only after it cools a little and scrape the base well to avoid a burn warning.

Rice cooker: Use the porridge setting if your cooker has one, with 4 1/2 cups water. A basic on-off cooker may switch off before the dal is soft; stir in hot water and run it again.

What to serve with Ven Pongal

Coconut chutney, sambar and gotsu (a tangy Tamil brinjal gravy) are the classic sides. Medu vadai often appears on festival mornings.

Substitutions abroad

If you cannot get curry leaves, leave them out. There is no real swap.

Vegan option

Season with coconut oil or a neutral oil instead of ghee. Ghee carries much of the flavour, so a little extra pepper and ginger helps. If you are cooking for a puja, naivedyam customs vary: many families use only ghee. Follow your family practice or ask your priest.

Common mistakes

• Too little water: the dal and rice should break down completely. Add hot water, never cold.
• Burnt spices: pepper and cumin scorch fast. Keep the ghee on low heat.
• Whole peppercorns everywhere: crush half so every spoonful carries the flavour, or warn guests.
• Serving it stiff: loosen with hot water just before serving.

Storage

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps 2 days in the fridge. It sets firm; reheat with hot water, stirring until smooth.

Allergens

Contains milk (ghee) and tree nuts (cashews). Leave out the cashews for a nut-free version. Many compounded asafoetida powders contain wheat flour, so check the label or leave it out for anyone avoiding gluten.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Ven Pongal and Sakkarai Pongal?

Both start with rice and moong dal. Ven Pongal is savoury, seasoned with ghee, pepper, cumin and ginger. Sakkarai Pongal is sweetened with jaggery and finished with cardamom.

Can I use basmati rice?

You can, but long-grain basmati does not turn as creamy. Short or medium-grain rice gives the soft texture most people expect.

Is Ven Pongal made on Thai Pongal day?

Many Tamil households make it on Thai Pongal alongside the sweet pongal. In India that is Friday 15 January 2027 per the panchang. Abroad, confirm your date with your local panchang or temple priest.

Can I make Ven Pongal with millets?

Yes, many families now use foxtail or little millet in place of rice. Cooking times and water vary, so cook until fully soft.

Why is my pongal bland?

Usually too little salt or ghee, or the spices were not fried. Season with salt before mashing, and fry the pepper and cumin until fragrant.

Sources

• Aleph Book Company, Flavours of India: Heirloom Recipes from India's Kitchens, excerpt "Book Excerpt: Sweet Pongal", Down To Earth, 13 December 2025: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/food/book-excerpt-sweet-pongal (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Food Allergies": https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Safe Food Handling": https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Food Standards Agency (UK), "Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

Related guides

• Pongal festival guide
• Thai Pongal day guide
• Pongal recipes
• Sakkarai Pongal recipe
• Kalkandu Pongal recipe
• Bhogi day guide