Thinai Pongal or Foxtail millet is a nutritious one pot meal made with foxtail millet and lentils. Makes for a hearty breakfast or brunch option, and is served with chutney and sambar
After Oats chakkarai pongal, it was another successful experiment for pongal this year with Thinai ven pongal or Thinai Khara Pongal. Millets are known to reduce the glycemic index as well provide a hearty meal. So pongal festival this year was about two healthy experiments that the family liked. I made this for Mattu Pongal (3rd day of Pongal) where cows and all farm are worshipped. The cattle are washed, horns painted and Jallikattu – a popular cattle race is seen in villages to this day.
If you are new to millets or like us, use millets regularly, do checkout the following millet based recipes to get started:
Cuisine : South Indian, type – breakfast
can be made vegan if desired, Gluten Free
spice level : medium
Serving suggestions : Avial, Coconut chutney, sambhar
Prep time – 15 mins , cook time – 15 mins , serves – 4
What you need to make Thinai Pongal:
- 200 grams Foxtail Millet Thinai / Navane
- 50 grams Split Green Gram Moong dal
- 2 TBSP Ghee*
- 3/4 cup Milk * *Omit milk and ghee for a vegan version or use vegan substitutes
- 1 TBSP Salt or to taste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida skip for GF
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 TBSP cashews skip for nut allergy
How to make Thinai Kara Pongal
- Wash and soak thinai for 20 mins. In the meanwhile dry roast moong dal till aroma comes but it doesn’t burn.
- Mix both and add 4 cups water and 3/4 cup milk. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure cool on its own. Mix once done, add salt as required
- Heat ghee in a pan, roast cashew nuts and transfer to a plate. In the remaining ghee, splutter cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, pepper seeds, curry leaves.
- Pour this tempering on the cooked thinai-Dal mixture. Check for salt and spices. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambhar or Avial
Thinai Khara Pongal | Foxtail Millet Pongal or Savoury porridge | How to make Thinai Ven Pongal
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 200 grams Foxtail Millet Thinai / Navane
- 50 grams Split Green Gram Moong dal
- 2 TBSP Ghee*
- 3/4 cup Milk * *Omit milk and ghee for a vegan version or use vegan substitutes
- 1 TBSP Salt or to taste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida skip for GF
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 TBSP cashews skip for nut allergy
Instructions
- Wash and soak thinai for 20 mins. In the meanwhile dry roast moong dal till aroma comes but it doesn’t burn.
- Mix both and add 4 cups water and 3/4 cup milk. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Let the pressure cool on its own. Mix once done, add salt as required
- Heat ghee in a pan, roast cashew nuts and transfer to a plate. In the remaining ghee, splutter cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, pepper seeds, curry leaves.
- Pour this tempering on the cooked thinai-Dal mixture. Check for salt and spices. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambhar or Avial
