We think that India has the most comforting and delicious home food, and nobody’s about to convince us otherwise. But of course, every state, and every home has different dishes that are family favourites when dinnertime rolls around. But one winning combination no matter where you’re from is a hot bowl of rice, dal and a bhaji on the side.
This combination of Pongal and Beans Thoran may have inspiration from South India, but it draws on the elements of Indian food that we all know and love. Similar to khichdi, Pongal is a blend of rice and dal that originated from the temples of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. According to some legends, it was actually created by mistake as a cook accidentally added the rice and dal to the same pot, thus creating Pongal.
Beans Thoran is just one variety of thoran, which simply refers to the method of dry cooking vegetables with coconut and is native to Kerala. A quintessentially seasonal dish, the type of thoran served usually depends on which vegetables happen to be in season.
Both recipes are low-maintenance and high reward meaning they are ideal for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve it up with some pickle, some papad, and settle in for a yummy nutritious meal with virtually no effort.