Varagu Arisi Sakkarai Pongal | Kodo Millet Sweet Pongal Recipe

As the Pongal festival is approaching, i want to post this healthy and traditional millet sweet pongal recipe.  Taste wise there won't be much difference when we use this kudo millet but when it comes to health this millet is loaded with lots of nutritious substance like vitamin B, B6, Niacin, Folic acid as well as Calcium, Potassium and Zinc. 

Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

• Kodo Millet | Varagu Arisi – 1 Cup
• Yellow Moong Dal – ½ Cup
• Jaggery – 1 or 1 & ½ Cup (as per your sweet req.)
• Cardamom – 3 or 4
• Coconut Piece – 1 handful
• Cashews and Raisins – 2 tablespoon
• Ghee – as required.

Method:

• Wash the millet and dal well.
• Pressure cooks it with 3 and ½ cup of water for 4 whistles.
• Meanwhile add a cup of water to jaggery and allow to heat until it dissolve well in water.
• Filter the jaggery syrup, add cardamom powder and keep it aside.
• Once the pressure is released open a cooker and add the jaggery syrup.
• Cook in slow flame. If required add little water.
• In a separate pan fry coconut till golden brown, then add cashews and raisins.
• Once the dry nuts get roasted pour it to the pressure cooker and mix it gently.
• Allow to cook until you get nice aroma or for 10 more minutes so that the jaggery get cooked.
• If you want you can add extra ghee at this stage.
• Serve it hot or cool.

Avial Recipe Step by Step | Aviyal Recipe without curd

Guys!  Planning for traditional lunch menu for upcoming Pongal Feastival?
Don't forget to add this delicious Aviyal in your list. This is a must traditional side dish in any festival or in family function meal planner. Our traditional wide spread plantain leaf feast is never complete without this Aviyal in it.

Usually in Kerala this Aviyal is made with addition of curd but in our house (South Tamil nadu) we don't add curd, as we use to add Raw Mango for the tangy taste.

This is basically a south indian side dish served as a accomplishment for Rice or Adai.
This recipe is made with mixed vegetables along with coconut paste. Vegetables which can be used in Avial are Drumstick, Raw Mango, Radish, Chow Chow, Brinjal, Carrot, Beans, Potato, Plantain, Cucumber, Ash gourd, Yam etc.,
Usually bitter vegetables or color changing vegetables are avoided in this recipe like bitter gourd and beetroots.

Coming to the recipe...

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables - 3 Cup
Coconut - 1 Cup
Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
Green Chilly - 2
Shallot - 6 nos.
Salt to taste.
Oil
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Wash and Cut all the vegetables length wise.
• Grind coconut, green chilly, shallot, jeera and keep it aside.
• Pressure cook vegetable with 1/4 cup water for 1 Whistle .
• Heat a pan season it with oil , mustard and curry leaves.
• Add coconut paste saute for few seconds.
• Add the vegetables, salt to the pan and gently mix to get a coat of coconut paste.
• Allow to cook for just 5 minutes in slow flame and switch off.
• Serve it with hot Rice  / Rice Noodles or  with Adai.