While sweet and ven pongal anchor the festival table, Pongal celebrations unfold through an array of special recipes passed down through generations. These dishes, tied to harvest cycles and local produce, reveal how tradition quietly evolves within everyday Tamil kitchens
Panankizhangu Kuzhavai (Palmyra Sprouts Halwa)
Ingredients:
10 to 15 pieces panam kizhangu raw (sprouts)
1 cup palm jaggery
3 to 4 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
10 to 12 pieces of cashew nuts
Coconut milk (optional)
Water
How to make:
1. Prepare the sprouts: Wash sprouts thoroughly. Remove the brown outer skin and the hard woody centre/germ. Cut into small pieces (fibrous texture normal).
2. Extract the starch: Grind pieces with little water into a coarse paste. Strain through fine cloth/sieve, squeezing out starch extract. Repeat; discard dry fibre.
3. Prepare the sweetener: Dissolve jaggery in warm water, filter impurities.
4. Cook the halwa: Pour sprout extract into a heavy-bottomed pan/kadai. Add jaggery water (and coconut milk if using). Cook on low-medium flame, stirring continuously until thickened and turns translucent.
5. Add ghee: Once thickening starts, add ghee 1 tbsp at a time. Stir until glossy and leave the pan sides. Add dry ginger powder.
6. Garnish: Fry cashews in 1 tsp ghee until golden; mix in. Serve warm.
Note: Strain well to avoid stringiness. Stir constantly to prevent lumps.
Selavu Kuzhambu
Ingredients
For masala powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 vasambu
1 tsp cubes
1 tsp thippili
2 dry red chillies
1 tsp omam
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 small piece of dry ginger
10 curry leaves
For gravy
3 tsp sesame oil or gingelly oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp jaggery
Salt
Method
1. Prepare masala powder: Dry roast black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, dry red chillies, vasambu, thippili, omam, black sesame seeds, dry ginger, and curry leaves until aromatic and golden. Cool completely, then grind into a fine powder.
2. Make curry paste: Heat 100 ml sesame oil in a pan. Sauté 10 small onions (shallots) and garlic until translucent and golden. Add the prepared masala powder and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat, let it cool, then grind into a smooth paste with ½ cup water.
3. Prepare tempering and gravy: In a separate pan, heat 2 tsp sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add curry leaves. Stir in the ground masala paste and tamarind pulp. Mix well, adjust seasoning with salt and jaggery to balance flavors. Simmer until the curry reaches desired consistency.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
- Recipes shared by Narayanamurthi, executive chef, Feathers Hotel
Ulundhu Kali
Ingredients:
1 cup black urad dal (Ulundhu)
1/4 cup rice (raw / ponni)
3 1/2 to 4 cups water
1 cup palm jaggery
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
100 ml ghee
How to make:
Dry roast black urad dal on a slow flame till aromatic and lightly golden.
Dry roast rice separately till slightly warm. Cool completely.
Grind both roasted urad dal and rice together into a fine, smooth flour.
Sieve once if needed for a lump-free kali.
Bring 3½ cups of water to a boil in a thick, heavy kadai.
Add palm jaggery and dry ginger powder. Lower the flame.
Slowly sprinkle the flour while continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Keep stirring on a low flame.
The mixture will thicken into a glossy, elastic mass.
Add the remaining ghee and cardamom powder a little at a time while stirring.
Cover and cook on dum (low flame) for five minutes. Mix once more and shape using a wet ladle.
Served hot
- Recipe shared by Kannan Thanikasalam, executive sous chef, Taj Coromandel