Food talk
A slice of South

Pongal chhole, paired with dahi, make a well-balanced breakfast or light lunch

North Indians lap up all the stuff that the Udupi restaurants dish out regularly to their patron’s delight — idli, dosa, vada and uttapam and, at times, upma with generous replenishments of sambhar and chutneys but poor ven pongal remains the proverbial Cinderella before her transformation.

A traditional festive dish, it is an exceptionally nourishing blend of cereals and lentils — a dakshini khichdi, if you please that has a pleasant aromatic flavour contributed by peppercorns. We feel that it has suffered neglect just because it is served sans frills and lacks eye appeal. Not long ago, on a trip to Gingee, we discovered that many in that sleepy town made a meal of pongal and sambhar. This is what was packed for our lunch as we climbed the steep rock to reach the plateau at top where the ruins of the historic citadel are scattered. That set us thinking. Why not try a fusion?

Everyone loves paneerwale chawal, with a ladleful of chhole. They should pair, we thought, well with pongal. Add a little colour and welcome touch of the piquant. The temptation to experiment soon turned into an obsession. When we saw two heat-and-eat packs of pongal and chhole (produce of legendary MTR in Bangalore and the label proclaiming that there were no added flavours or preservatives) lying cheek by jowl on the grocer’s shelf, no time was lost in putting one and one together. Do we have to add that we weren’t disappointed? The results are even more satisfying when you cook the pongal and chhole at home or prepare one at home and marry it with the other bought from the nearest outlet or utilising the leftover stuff. Just add some salad on the side, a bowl of dahi and enjoy a well-balanced breakfast or light lunch. Purists may not approve but who cares? Happy Pongal.

Rice 1 cup
Mung dal ¾ cup
Peppercorn 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Hing ½ tsp
Ghee 1 tbsp
A small pinch of haldi
Salt to taste.

Method
Dry roast the mung dal, mix with rice, add salt and pressure cook till soft. Heat ghee and add all other ingredients for tempering. Pour over the pongal and mix well to blend.

Chickpeas (picked, washed and soaked overnight) 1 cup
Tomato puree 3 tbsp
Garlic-ginger paste 1 tsp
Bay leaf one
Jeera powder 1 tsp
Dhania powder 1 tsp
Kashmiri lal mirch ½ tsp
Chaat masala 1 tsp
Oil 1 tsp
Sugar (optional) 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
Pressure cook the chhole till done to taste. Heat oil in a pan and add the bay leaf. When it changes colour, add garlic-ginger paste and stir for 30 seconds and then add the tomato puree, along with the spice powders except the chat masala, and salt (also sugar, if using. Keep stir-frying for a couple of minutes on medium heat. Add chhole and cook for a couple of minutes more. Now assemble pongal chhole on a plate and let the duet begin.

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