~ The Story of Pongal ~
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For many centuries, across the fields and forests of the Indian subcontinent, the second week of January marked a time of celebration. As the days grew longer, and the sun rose sooner, the people prepared for the most important festival of the year: a festival of the harvest, of prosperity, of abundance—the festival of Pongal. And as families and friends gathered together on this auspicious day, no one could forget the eponymous dish of the festivities—both an offering of gratitude and a sweet treat: pongal.
Decades ago, on the day before the celebration, my mother would travel northward with her family to her Thatha’s (Grandfather’s) hometown. The weather was mellow and cool at this time of year; the solar month of Thai would soon begin. Aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents— family from all over would fill her Thatha’s humble home. They would clean the entire house from top to bottom that day; fresh paint adorned the walls. In the evening, towering flames would bathe houses in a fiery red glow as sugar-palm leaves burned in a neighborhood bonfire. An end to the old and a beginning for the new as the sun returned. |
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In the early twilight hours of the following morning, well before dawn, my mother would join her cousins in creating a rangoli—an elaborate piece of artwork made out of colourfully dyed rice flour—on the street in front of the house. Vivid blues and reds, yellows and oranges, all decorated the roads throughout the town in vibrant arrangements of floral and geometric patterns. A competition would be made to see who could make the best design—and every child down the street would compete. At the centre of each rangoli sat a small, brick stove, atop which lay a simple, earthen pot. As the skies began to lighten with the approach of the sun, the adults added ingredients to the pot. Fresh rice from the paddy fields and moong dal from the dry farms, blended together in a slowly heating pool of water. Turmeric plants are tied around the pot as family members gather around in preparation. Finally, as dawn would break and the sun would rise above the horizon, the water roared to a raging boil and a bubbly white liquid overflowed from the pot. “Pongalo pongal!” everyone would shout, as joyous ululations rang throughout. Jaggery, cardamom, cashews, ghee— all the rest of the ingredients would be added to the simmering mixture, an aroma of prosperity filling the air. This is pongal.
Now, in the many years since these memories were made, our family continues to celebrate Pongal halfway across the world from my great-grandfather’s home. Although the streets may be filled with ice instead of rangoli and the fields may lay barren instead of plentiful, the days still lengthen ever so slowly, and the pongal still boils over— a symbol of abundance, of tradition, of memories, and of family.
Now, in the many years since these memories were made, our family continues to celebrate Pongal halfway across the world from my great-grandfather’s home. Although the streets may be filled with ice instead of rangoli and the fields may lay barren instead of plentiful, the days still lengthen ever so slowly, and the pongal still boils over— a symbol of abundance, of tradition, of memories, and of family.
~ The Recipe ~
INGREDIENTS
1. White rice (⅔ cup) - raw, not parboiled
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INSTRUCTIONS
Materials include: pots, pans, utensils, and a stove.
1. Mix together the rice and the moong dal in a pot.
2. Wash and rinse the mixture in clean water three times. Make sure to drain the water after washing.
2. Add 3 cups of water to a separate pot. Place this pot on a stove and set it close to the maximum heat (near-boiling temperature).
(Traditionally, this would be a wood stove with a real fire!)
3. When the water begins to bubble (but not boil), add the mixture of rice and moong dal from the first pot into the second pot. Be careful of the hot water.
4. Watch the pot on the stove carefully: in around 1 minute, the mixture will rise up and overflow. To prevent overflowing (if too messy), reduce the heat or disturb the mixture before it boils over. (This is the "pongalo pongal" part!)
5. Let the boiled-mixture pot simmer on low-heat (close to the minimum), and get a frying pan.
6. Place the pan on the stove and set it to a high heat (again, close to the maximum). Place the ghee, cashews, and dried fruit on the pan. Let these ingredients roast until the cashews brown.
7. Return to the boiled mixture. Incorporate the salt and the brown sugar, mixing them all together evenly.
8. In a couple of minutes, when the ghee, cashews, and dried fruit are done roasting, pour the garnishing into the boiled-mixture pot. Optionally, add cardamom for flavour and aroma.
9. After thorough mixing, take the pot off the stove and let the pongal cool.
10. Now, enjoy! For best results, serve warm. (As tradition would have it, the first serving should be dedicated to Surya, the sun god, and served on a banana leaf. If, for some reason, there are no banana leaves to be found in the middle of winter, get a simple plate and share the pongal with family and friends!)
2. Wash and rinse the mixture in clean water three times. Make sure to drain the water after washing.
2. Add 3 cups of water to a separate pot. Place this pot on a stove and set it close to the maximum heat (near-boiling temperature).
(Traditionally, this would be a wood stove with a real fire!)
3. When the water begins to bubble (but not boil), add the mixture of rice and moong dal from the first pot into the second pot. Be careful of the hot water.
4. Watch the pot on the stove carefully: in around 1 minute, the mixture will rise up and overflow. To prevent overflowing (if too messy), reduce the heat or disturb the mixture before it boils over. (This is the "pongalo pongal" part!)
5. Let the boiled-mixture pot simmer on low-heat (close to the minimum), and get a frying pan.
6. Place the pan on the stove and set it to a high heat (again, close to the maximum). Place the ghee, cashews, and dried fruit on the pan. Let these ingredients roast until the cashews brown.
7. Return to the boiled mixture. Incorporate the salt and the brown sugar, mixing them all together evenly.
8. In a couple of minutes, when the ghee, cashews, and dried fruit are done roasting, pour the garnishing into the boiled-mixture pot. Optionally, add cardamom for flavour and aroma.
9. After thorough mixing, take the pot off the stove and let the pongal cool.
10. Now, enjoy! For best results, serve warm. (As tradition would have it, the first serving should be dedicated to Surya, the sun god, and served on a banana leaf. If, for some reason, there are no banana leaves to be found in the middle of winter, get a simple plate and share the pongal with family and friends!)