Pongal Recipes

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.