Pongal (also known as Thai Pongal in Tamil Nadu) is a harvest festival celebrated in India. Being one of the most auspicious festivals, it brings people good fortune.

This four-day festival is also known as Makar Sankranti in other parts of the country. It is celebrated by people of different ethnicities like Bengalis, Telugus, Punjabis and most other sects and cultures throughout India.

Along with numerous traditions, traditional music, and dance, traditional dishes play a crucial role during this festival because most of the people are specifically interested in the dishes that will be cooked on the occasion of Pongal in South India.
Today we are going to discuss those top dishes that you can cook on the occasion of Pongal with the help of your Avias World stainless steel kitchenware products.

Top Dishes To Cook On The Occasion Of Pongal in South India

Here is the list of top dishes you can cook using Avias World stainless steel cookware on the occasion of Pongal. 

1- Sweet Pongal (Chakkara Pongali, Sakkarai Pongal): 

Here is the list of steps with the help of which you can cook this sweet chakkara pongal. 

 1. Firstly, in Avias stainless steel pressure cooker take ½ cup rice and ¼ cup moong dal (both soaked for 15 minutes.

2. Add 2¼ cup water in a stainless steel pressure cooker until 4-5 whistles.

3. Make sure the dal and rice is cooked completely.

4. Take Avias stainless steel frypan and fill ¾ cup jaggery and ¼ cup of water, then keep stirring till the jaggery melts completely.

5. Now filter the jaggery water into cooked rice-dal mixture.

6. Add ¼ cup water or more, adjusting consistency as required.

7. Simmer for 2 minutes or till jaggery combines well with rice-dal mixture.

8. Add in 2 tbsp ghee and give a good mix till the chakkara pongal turns glossy.

9. Now in Avias Riara Triply kadai, heat 2 tsp ghee and fry 10 whole cashews, 2 tbsp raisins and 1 clove.

10. Pour the fried cashews and kishmish into the sweet pongal.

11. Also add ¼ tsp cardamom powder and small piece edible camphor. mix well.

12. Finally, sweet pongal / chakkara pongal is ready to offer to the goddess and your guests.

2- Payasam:

Rice Payasam is one of the most loved dishes on the occasion of pongal in South India. Let us have a look at the recipe: 
1. Rinse ¼ cup basmati rice a couple of times in fresh water and then soak in enough water for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. While the rice grains are soaking, take 1-litre full-fat milk in Avias Riara Triply frypan or saucepan or kadai.

3. Keep the pan on low to medium-low heat. Stir at intervals so that the milk does not burn at the bottom of the pan. Leave it for a few minutes, until the milk boils.

4. Take 1 tablespoon of milk from the pan in a small bowl and let the milk cool down and become warm. Then, add a few saffron strands to the milk. Keep aside.

5. After the milk begins to boil, drain all the water from the rice and add it to the boiling milk.

Mix very well with a spoon.

6. Simmer and cook the rice on low heat. No need to cover the pan when the rice is cooking.

7. Cook the rice grains till they are 50% done or half-done.

8. Then, add 5 to 6 tablespoons of sugar or as required. You can add raw sugar or white sugar. I generally use unrefined raw sugar.

Mix the sugar in the milk.

9. Continue to cook rice on low to medium-low heat. Stir at intervals.

10. Simmer till the rice grains are almost cooked. Then add ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder.

11. Add 1 tablespoon each of sliced almonds, chopped cashews and sliced pistachios. You can blanch the almonds, if you prefer or just slice them raw.

You can include various other nuts according to your preferences.

And with this, your Rice Payasam is ready to be served.

3- Medu Vada: 

Here is the list of steps you need to follow to cook medu vada. 

1. Rinse 1 cup urad dal (husked and split or whole black gram) a few times in water. Then soak the lentils in 2.5 to 3 cups of water for at least 4 to 5 hours or up to overnight.

Preferably use unpolished urad dal to make this vada recipe.

2. Drain and discard the water. Add the soaked urad dal to a grinder jar. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh water or as needed. Just be sure not to make the batter too thin!

Do not add too much water while grinding. The batter should be like a soft moist dough but yet light and fluffy.

3. Begin to grind or blend the urad dal to a smooth batter. The batter should be fluffy and thick.

4. Continue to grind or blend until you achieve a smooth, fluffy batter. Remember there should be no fine grits or chunks of urad dal in the batter.

5. Remove the batter into a big bowl or vessel. Then briskly whip with a spatula, spoon or a wire whisk for 2 to 3 minutes. This aerates the batter and gives it a light, fluffy texture.

6. Add spices to the batter like chopped green chillies, chopped curry leaves, chopped ginger, cumin seeds, black pepper powder, salt, chopped onions as well.

7. Now mix everything. And keep oil on low flame in your Avias Kadai to pre heat.

8. Take the batter in your hand to make the shape of medu vada and put it in the oil to deep fry.

9. Within 2 minutes at low flame of deep frying you would be able to notice that the medu vada is cooked.

10. Take it out on a tissue paper and have it with sambhar. 

This was all about the top dishes made on the occasion of Pongal in South India. 

You can check out Avias World website to have a look at the wide variety of stainless steel cookware options we offer.