This is the basic Vellai pongal recipe, we make along with sakkarai pongal on the day of Pongal. Its just plain cooked rice, only that this has bit of milk in it added while cooking. My Mom and MIL does this in vengala paanai that is meant for making pongal, but I make in cooker (pot shaped). There is nothing special in this recipe, still the fresh harvested rice from the farms cooked along with milk is supposed to taste heavenly. We dont cook the plain rice on the day of pongal as we usually do. Instead, use this pongal to eat with kootu, sambar… My MIL bought a cute tiny vengala panai fo rme for making this, but I never bought it here still as everytime the weight of luggage is always a problem 🤐.

Vellai pongal/ Paal pongal recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time:10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves: 3

Ingredients

Raw rice – 1/2 cup

Milk – 3/4 cup

Water – 2 & 1/2 to 3 cups

Salt – A pinch

Method

Boil milk+ water in a heavy bottomed vessel. Wash rice well, drain and add it to the boiling milk

2-paal

Cook in medium flame until the water+ milk gets absorbed and rice gets cooked soft. Mash it well, add salt and keep stirring at this stage to avoid pongal getting stuck to the bottom of the vessel.

1-paal

Notes

Adjust milk and water measurement according to the rice variety. New rice need lesser and old rice need more.
Add salt according to the taste but we just add a pinch only. Add it towards the end.
Add more hot water at the end if the rice is not cooked.
You can also do in pressure cooker. Reduce water quantity accordingly and pressure cook for 5 whistles.

This is how my mom offers to God in the banana leaf with flattened at the top, pour ghee in the dent and garnish with sliced banana. (of course with all the other spread)