Venpongal and sakkara pongal made with conventional rice varieties reminiscent of thooyamalli, karuppu kavuni, iluppaipoo samba and thinai
| Picture Credit score: PERIASAMY M
What are the perfect conventional rice and millet varieties to make pongal with? We ask the specialists. Sreedevi Lakshmikutty of social enterprise Bio Fundamentals affords us a tasting of candy and venpongal made with rice and millets offered at her city-based natural retailer. There may be venpongal product of thooyamalli, kichili samba, and iluppai poo samba, other than candy pongal with karuppu kavuni and thinai (foxtail millet).
“All of those are conventional varieties grown in Tamil Nadu,” she says, including that by opting to include them in our on a regular basis food regimen, we’re “celebrating farmers and our grains.” Thooyamalli, which has a pure white sheen and is aromatic just like the jasmine it’s named after, makes for a superb alternative. The venpongal is fluffy, and retains the flavour of the rice. Though kichili and iluppai poo samba fade compared to it in look, they make up for it in style. Each varieties end up mushy when cooked with dal, which is precisely the feel of an ideal pongal.
Thooyamalli rice is greatest suited to venpongal and candy pongal
| Picture Credit score:
PERIASAMY M
If you’re keen to experiment, strive pink rice varieties reminiscent of poongar and karuppu kavuni. J Kala, who’s a prepare dinner at city-based Iyal, an natural retailer that additionally has a restaurant in its premises, has tried making candy pongal with each varieties. “They tackle the candy flavours effectively,” she says, including that her vote is for thooyamalli.
Sreedevi has given a twist to the standard candy pongal made with jaggery, and has as an alternative used palm jaggery. The foxtail millet pongal sweetened with the latter is a refreshing try. The millet, owing to its miniscule grain measurement, is cooked to perfection, and pulls off the nutty, gentle sweetness of palm jaggery so effectively. Karuppu kavuni, that has a robust chewy texture and flavour of its personal, may not style like a typical pongal, however to its credit score, makes for a creamy dessert that holds its personal.
T Senthil Kumar, the co-founder of Natrinai natural retailer within the metropolis, and Thaenthinai, a restaurant serving natural meals, suggests the ilappai poo samba for making each candy and venpongal. “The perfume of the rice will envelope the complete family,” he says, including that amongst millets, samai (little millet) shall be appropriate. “Most individuals, no matter age, discover samai’s flavour agreeable,” he says, including that it’s best if millets are soaked for a number of hours earlier than being cooked. Most conventional rice varieties talked about will be cooked with 1:three ratio of rice to water.
Sreedevi hopes that extra individuals come ahead to “valourise” these grains. “There may be a lot variety by way of grains within the State,” she says, “Provided that we eat, can we preserve.”