India is the country that celebrates hundreds of festivals, small and big, in a
single year. This is what makes the culture of India so rich and colorful. One
such festival is 'Pongal', which symbolizes the plentiful harvest and
prosperity. On this special day, people cook dishes with the newly harvested
rice, jaggery and moong dal. The harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, Pongal has two
dishes on its main course - 'Sweet Pongal' and 'Salt Pongal', along with other
side dishes of rice and 'Avial', a concoction of vegetables.
Pongal is all about spreading love and joy in the neighboring homes. People
enjoy this festival with family and friends. They dance and sing together and
enjoy the special food of Pongal. Families visit their loved ones on this day
and exchange 'pongal', while giving wishes of prosperity to each other. Some of
the South Indian families also exchange the first fruits and flowers of the
harvest, with their near and dear ones. In our related section, we have given
some typical Pongal recipes for you to try and enjoy on the festival of Pongal.
Avial
Avial is one of the most popular dishes of Tamil Nadu. It is specially prepared
on the festival of Pongal. This dish is very healthy and delicious, as a variety
of vegetables is used to make it. Apart from that, it also has channa and urad
dal as its ingredients. It takes hardly some time to make the dish and the
outcome is something very delicious. There are many ways of making Avial, one of
which has been mentioned below.
Coconut Rice
The word pongal, in both Telugu and Tamil, signifies the boiling over of the
rice, in the cooking pot. Thus, the dished made on the harvest festival of
Pongal essentially include rice in the ingredients. Coconut Rice is also one of
the recipes specially cooked on the festival day. Along with rice, its other
main ingredient comprises of coconut.
Lemon Rice
Festivals come with lots of delicious dishes! Especially in India, the word
festival is considered to be synonymous with the word delicious food. No
celebration is considered complete unless and until rich food is served amongst
friends, family members and relatives. Pongal is an Indian harvest festival,
which is mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
Puli Pongal
Pongal is a very important harvest festival of South India. It is celebrated
over a period of four days, with a variety of foods being prepared throughout.
Puli Pongal is one dish that you will love to have on the festival days. It lets
you to enjoy the festivity of Pongal. The dish is very simple and easy to make
and requires ingredients that are easily available within the home only.
Salt Pongal
Pongal is a harvest festival of India, mainly celebrated all over Tamil Nadu and
some other parts of South India. The festival is celebrated as a form of
Thanksgiving to God, for all the goodness created by him. Food is an important
part of Pongal and there is a wide range of recipes that are prepared as a part
of the celebration. Salt Pongal is one of those delicacies.
Sarkkarai Pongal
Pongal is one of the very famous and much-awaited harvest festivals celebrated
in South India. To celebrate the festivity of Pongal, traditional recipes are
prepared in every household. Sarkkarai Pongal is one of the special dishes for
the occasion. It is prepared in an earthen pot, on the second day of Pongal.
Sarkkarai Pongal is a very simple and easy-to-make dish, which gives a mouth
watering taste.
Sweet Pongal
Pongal, a harvest festival with major significance South India, is celebrated by
preparing a wide variety of traditional recipes. Sweet Pongal is one of the
popular dishes that mark their presence on Pongal. The dish sweetens the
celebration and sets on the festive mood. Pongal is an occasion to indulge in
celebrations and merry making. |
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