By Devi Poojari
The crunchy snack made with ground rice and gram flour, is perfect for munching in-between or with a cup of coffee, while you wait for the feast to be laid out on banana leaves.
Apart from the sweet and savoury pongal that is usually served, the savoury semolina pudding rich with cashew nuts and whole black peppercorns makes for a delicious breakfast, when accompanied with fresh coconut chutney.
What makes the sambar prepared on Pongal slightly different from the usual is the addition of toasted coconut and whole spices, which are ground together into a paste and added to the lentils. It not only gives body and thickens the vegetable stew but also tastes wonderful with the savoury pongal.
The Kerala delicacy made of rice, jaggery, mashed bananas and fried in ghee is a rich, luxurious snack item that is often consumed in most households and relished with equal zest. The name of the dish translates to small rice cakes, which is also an accurate way of describing these yummy pockets.
The South Indian version of the famed puranpoli is quite the common feature during Pongal feasts. The difference between the coconut filling in a Maharashtrian poli and its South Indian counterpart, is the addition of a pinch of edible camphor to the filling.
Sweet morsels made of roasted Bengal gram, sugar and ghee, the simplistic maladu is quite popular down south. Made on most festive occasions, the sweet treat is enjoyed by people of all ages and is perfect to serve your guests when they pay a visit.
The dessert that is served at the end of the feast must always end with a bowl of this ochre yellow chana dal payasam. The South Indian pudding is quite the crowd-pleaser, is protein-packed and zero sugar!