What is Pongal?
As explained in detail in this post, Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated across South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. In Maharashtra, this is celebrated as Sankrant and in Karnataka it is called Sankranti. The festival of Harvest season is celebrated across India as Sankranti / Uttarayan / Bhogi / Pongal / Lohri etc etc.
Pongal also happens to be the name of the dish that's both savoury and sweet and is also made for breakfast but more for the festival.
Dals or lentils is the basis of most vegetarian meals - be it as a side dish or kebabs or Cheelas (crepes) or even most breakfast menus. Today is one such healthy option for breakfast made with Oats & Moong dal. Given a choice to choose between all dals & lentils I use in my kitchen, it would surely be Moong Dal (or split green gram).
I find it most versatile, light to digest and also easy to cook, and lends itself into many different dishes across course. Today is a take on the popular South Indian breakfast- Pongal and its a twist with a healthy addition of Oats. Quick and healthy, am sure you would also enjoy this.
I served this with Katrikkai Pachadi (Brinjal Raitha) and it was a total sellout. Am sure this would be one more variant of Pongal along with Rava Pongal & Ven Pongal to the breakfast menu.
Other variants of pongal we make for the festival are:
Tips to make perfect Oats Pongal:
- Oats needs to be dry roasted, else will become mushy.
- If using steel cuts oats, soak for a longer period or cook separately and add to the cooked moong dal
- If cooking the pongal in a rice cooker or Instant Pot, add lesser water but soak the moong dal for 10 minutes in warm water before using. Do not over mix the pongal else it will turn to a paste.
- For the tempering, you may also add some black pepper corns, but I avoided it as its quite an effort to locate them during rushed morning breakfast time 🙂
Ingredients to make Oats Ven Pongal
Prep time : 10 mins. Cook time : 20 mins. Serves : 3
- Moong Dal - ½ cup
- Oats - ¾ cup (I used quick rolled Oats)
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - 1 TBSP
- Ghee - 1 TBSP
- Turmeric - ½ tsp
- Tempering : Curry leaves, Cumin Seeds, Grated Ginger, Asafoetida
- Green / Red chillies - 2 nos.
How to make Oats Ven Pongal:
- In a dry pan, roast Oats till it turns slightly crispy but doesn't burn.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the moong dal (split green gram) till it gives out a nice aroma.
- Transfer & mix both in a cooking bowl and cool.
- Soak the roasted ingredients in warm water for 10-15 mins.
- Add 2 - 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook the Oats-Moong Dal mixture with a pinch of salt & turmeric for 2 whistles.
- When the pressure cools down, heat ghee.
- In a small tadka pan, add ghee, cumin, curry leaves, grated ginger, asafoetida, chillies and saute for a minute.
- Transfer the cooked Pongal to a serving dish.
- Adjust salt and pour the prepared tempering on the pongal.
- Mix just once and serve hot with some Chutney or Kuzhambu
PIN FOR LATER
Oats Ven Pongal | How to make Oats Pongal
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker Sub with Open Pot / Instant Pot, see Notes
- Thick Bottomed Pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup split green gram Moong Dal
- ¾ cup Oats I used quick rolled Oats, but steel cut oats works best
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Oil any neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds jeera
- ½ teaspoon Whole Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida Hing, skip for GF
- 2 Chillies dry red preferred
- Green / Red chillies - 2 nos
Instructions
- In a dry pan, roast Oats till it turns slightly crispy but doesn't burn.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the moong dal (split green gram) till it gives out a nice aroma.
- Transfer & mix both in a cooking bowl and cool.
- Soak the roasted ingredients in warm water for 10-15 mins.
- Add 2 - 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook the Oats-Moong Dal mixture with a pinch of salt & turmeric for 2 whistles.
- When the pressure cools down, heat ghee.
- In a small tadka pan, add ghee, cumin, curry leaves, grated ginger, asafoetida, chillies and saute for a minute.
- Transfer the cooked Pongal to a serving dish.
- Adjust salt and pour the prepared tempering on the pongal.
- Mix just once and serve hot with some Chutney or Kuzhambu
Notes
- Oats needs to be dry roasted, else will become mushy.
- If using steel cuts oats, soak for a longer period or cook separately and add to the cooked moong dal
- If cooking the pongal in a rice cooker or Instant Pot, add lesser water but soak the moong dal for 10 minutes in warm water before using. Do not over mix the pongal else it will turn to a paste.
- For the tempering, you may also add some black pepper corns, but I avoided it as its quite an effort to locate them during rushed morning breakfast time 🙂
Priya Srinivasan - I Camp in My Kitchen says
Yummy n healthy pongal!!!!
A Kamalika Krishmy says
very healthy pongal
The Pumpkin Farm says
yummy and healthy. lovely pic
Taste Melanger says
Liked the addition of oats to make it a healthier dish..honetsly there's so much that one can do with lentils, its amazing!
Unknown says
Delicious Pongal Kalyani,Healthy version...too gud recipe.
MySpicyKitchen says
Drooling over the bowl of pongal.. Delicious & healthy!
Archana says
delicious and healthy
Nalini's Kitchen says
Delicious and healthy looking pongal...
preeti garg says
healthy wealthy recipe
Priya Suresh says
Wat a healthy and super tempting delicious pongal..love it.
Priya Sreeram says
ooh tht's a healthy bowl , I would love to lay my hands on- Yummy
Aarthi says
They look delicious..Totally YUMMY
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/
vidhas says
Delicious pongal. Adding oats makes it more healthy.
Chef Mireille says
would never have thought of eaten oats in savory dishes before this BM. would only eat for breakfast and in baked goods - bread, muffins, etc.
Suma Gandlur says
Looks very colorful and yummy besides being healthy.
Unknown says
healthy and yumm...thats what i call - healthy comfort food...
Anonymous says
Great time to see this blog. Club FlyersAnd Wholesale Printing
Srivalli says
Very yummy!..
Unknown says
That is one healthy bowl of pongal..
Gayathri Kumar says
Very nutritious pongal...
vaishali sabnani says
super clicks Kalyani...for a minute I bypassed the recipe:)..but its a real healthy one...good one...
Vardhini says
Pongal with oats looks healthy and thx Kalyani for linking to the event.
Vidhya Subramony says
What a lovely recipe! I just love pongal so much, I think this is the healthy way to try the pongal!
Thanks for linking to my recipe! Keep rocking with more dear...
rajani says
Lovely pic!
Cool Lassi(e) says
Oats Pongal looks awesome and healthy!
veena says
Kalyani , u come up with such innovative recipes!!
HemasAdugemane says
yummy and innovative recipe with oats.
Priya Srinivasan says
Love pongal and making it with oats is a delicious way to enjoy otherwise bland oats. Amma used to make oats pongal often in Chennai for her and appa. Like you have mentioned it is lighter and digests better. A brilliant share for the pongal festival kalyani!
Kalyani says
Thanks Priya.More than the classic ven pongal we are using alternate grains like oats n millets for pongal often priya
Archana says
Thanks, Kalyani. Since this oat Pongal is soft and light I made it for my father-in-law. He loved it and now my husband wants me to make some for him.
Kalyani says
thank you, Archana for trying this.
Mayuri Patel says
I've always enjoyed savoury pongal when I was in Bangalore. Am surprised I have not made it at home as yet. Like the different variations you have on your blog. For sure will have to try them out. This oats ven pongal makes a healthy and filling breakfast option.
Kalyani says
Absolutely Mayuri. Oats as a replacement to Rice, do try..
Renu says
Wow now that is quite different recipe with oats. A gluten-free and a healthy recipe
Kalyani says
Thank you,Renu.Sure is healthy