Drowsy Pongal !!

Every country has an supremo when it comes to a particular kind of recipe, like the sausage for the Germans, the mole for the Mexicans, Paella for the Spaniards and risotto for the Italians, as for India the most diversified country in the globe sure has a fair share and I tend to pick one of which is the staple where the rich and poor could relinquish its simplistic indulgence know known as Pongal in South of the country Kichri in other parts of the subcontinent.

To me pongal is always been about my memories and the positive energy it brings in and to embark on a new journey kind, Memories when my grand mom used to bring the Prasad home from the nearby temple of course it was the Sarkarai Pongal ,The drowsiness in the class room after a good dose of milagu pongal for breakfast (normally its when mom gets up late and is in a hurry ), Its so embedded in my flavor buds that whenever I pass a particular locality in my neighborhood the frying of cashews and raisins in ghee for pongal tickles my senses.

Pongal literally means bubbling over or boiling over, there is a varied interpretation as well which I decoded it to being "gold", every country has a harvesting thanksgiving festival which is celebrated with the family members, and in South India that harvesting festival is ironically celebrated with the same given name of the iconic recipe.

There are scuttle variations in this delicacy just to name a few with a brief description, 

Pal Pongal:The traditional Pongal cooked with Milk and succulent amount of ghee, a dish earthed in the rural values of the ethnic festival called” Pongal”

Akkaravadisal:Akkara adisal or akkaravadisal is an authentic iyengar recipe, which is generally made during the month of Margazhi. Many people make this on the first day of Pongal.. This typical iyengar recipe with sweet note from the jaggery stewey in nature.

Sakkarai Pongal: This is an all time favorite sweet pongal recipe. Rice and dal cooked with the ingredients like edible camphor,elachi, nutmeg and elachi make it smell and taste DIVINELY, so much so that its served at temples of south India as an offering to gods and later to all its worshippers  

Nava Dhaniya Pongal: Nine Kinds of pulses, which has high nutritional value. It helps in boosting immunity also, has a distinct aroma and texture and more so to the well-being.

Puli Pongal:Traditional Pongal with a touch of tamarind which gives the sour note.

Pongal’s festivity approach is another unending chapter which would is the essence of south India.