Barley pongal, a savory dish made with barley and moongdal. Pongal, a popular breakfast dish, served with sambar and chutney.
What is Venpongal
Venpongal is a popular south-indian breakfast dish. A savory dish made with rice and lentils, tempered with curry leaves, ginger and loads of black pepper and cumin. Pongal is served with sambar and white chutney.
It is the most popular dish served in marriage functions for breafkast. Since pongal is a no onion and no garlic dish, it is prefered as offerings during pooja days.
Barely Venpongal
Barley venpongal, the same venpongal made with barley instead of rice. Some people don’t prefer eating rice for various reasons. Barley has lesser calories than rice and rich in fiber and calcium.
Tastewise barley venpongal tastes similar to rice pongal. It also needs no special cooking, except for soaking it for 30 minutes prior cooking, which cooks it easy.
How to make Barley Venpongal
Wash and soak barley and moong dal for 30 minutes. After the said time, drain the water, add milk and water to the barley-moong dal, pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles.
Once the pressure releases, Heat oil in a wide pan, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin and cashewnuts, add cumin seeds. Finally add the cooked barley and moong to this and mix well. Add salt and mix well. Let this sit on the stove for 5-8 minutes. Take it off the stove. Serve hot with chutney and sambar.
Pongal usually thickens as it rests, so do take it off when it is a bit saucy not watery, a bit saucy. Serve it warm, even if you have made it ahead, just add 2-3 tbsp water or milk mixed with water , mix and heat it to become warm and enjoy.
Barley Pongal | How to make savory pongal with barley
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup barley
- ¼ cup moong dal
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup water
- ¾ tsp salt or to taste
Tempering
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp shredded ginger
- ¾ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp chopped cashewnuts
- 1 tsp freshly pounded black peppercorns
- a sprig of curry leaf
Instructions
- Wash moong and barley twice in plain water and soak in a cup of water for a minium of 30 minutes.
- In a pressure cooker take barley and moong along with water and milk. Mix well and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
- In a heavy bottom pan, add 2 tbsp ghee, when hot splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, ginger, cashewnuts and saute until nuts turn golden brown. Finally add cumin seeds this tempering.
- Tip all the cooked barley and moong to this tempering, add 1/4 cup water to vessel and add it to this. Add salt and pounded pepper to this and mix well.
- Let this sit on the stove for 10 minutes, for the liquid to be absorbed. Once done, remove from the stove. Serve it warm with chutney and sambar.
Video
Notes
- Pongal usually thickens as it rests, so do take it off when it is a bit saucy not watery, a bit saucy.
- Serve it warm, even if you have made it ahead, just add 2-3 tbsp water or milk mixed with water , mix and heat it to become warm and enjoy.
Serve this delicious barley pongal with sambar and chutney for a filling and comforting breakfast. This pongal can also be enjoyed as brunch or dinner.
More pongal recipes
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An old recipe from 2014, updated with new content and images for better engagement.
wow what a healthy pongal…best way to start our day …..gr8 idea
love to try .. since hubby is a pongalholic.
Live your version of pongal with barley. Sounds healthy and nutritious.
Oh never thought of a pongal with barley, sounds good and even so that your lil one took this!
Never tried pongal with barley!! Sound new and interesting..
healthy way to start the day
Barley pongal looks so delicious and healthy too…
Healthy one. That's cute that your little one loves pongal .
I know what you mean by kids messing up your schedule on vacation days though I love holidays more owing to the cold weather we have here. This week we had around – 25 deg C and I wanted more sleep time. 🙂
aww -25 that is tooo low!!! we shiver for the 15 here. !!! stay warm!!! 😉
What a nice healthy alternative!