The name Chakkarai Pongal or Sweet Pongal suggests that the dish is made with some sweetner. This dish is prepared in all Tamil houses for Pongal festival. Pongal is a four days long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. This festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the Tamil word ''pongudhal'' meaning ''to boil'' and is held in the month of Thai (January-February) during the season when rice and other cereals, sugarcane, and turmeric are harvested.
Venpongal is offered to Lord Narayan during Margazhi month. It is one of the preferred breakfast dish in South India. It is a perfect blend of rice and dal with mild spices served with chutney, sambar, gothsu etc. I have made pongal with Kodo, Little, Barnyard and Foxtail millets and all tastes awesome! Here, I have used Barnyard Millet.
Rotis made of Bajra/Kambu are popular in Gujarat and Rajasthan and Jowar/Cholam Rotis are popular in Karnataka and Maharashtra. It needs an expertise to make soft millet rotis by patting with hands. But Autolysis technique simplifies the process and the dough becomes pliable and we can roll them easily.
Rasam is an integral part of Tamil Cuisine. There are many varieties of rasam which is actually a spiced soup. When oranges are available in abundance, the fruit can be enjoyed as rasam also!
Idlis are all time favourite breakfast dish enjoyed throughout our country. Generally parboiled rice is used for making idlis. I have made idlis with all millets and they are equally soft, porus and tasty like the rice ones. Multi Millet idli recipe is already shared. Foxtail Millet idli's light yellow colour attracts everyone and you won't regret making this low carb breakfast delicay!
