Make Kodo Millet Pongal in Instapot | Varagu/Arikelu/Harka Pongal

Recipe by Chiramas cooking

Millet Pongal is a Nutritious, Simple and Savory one pot recipe served as a breakfast or dinner. Millets are gluten-free, easy to digest and have high fiber content which makes it a great substitute for Rice and wheat.

Ingredients

1. Kodo Millet (Varagu/Arikelu/Harka) - 1 cup
2. Moong dal (Yellow Split Mung Lentils) - 1/2 cup
3. Ghee - 2 tbsp
4. Cashew nuts - 10-12 Nos
5. Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tbsp
6. Whole Black Pepper - 1 tbsp
7. Asafoetida - 1/2 tbsp
8. Ginger - 1 tbsp finely Chopped
9. Curry leaves - a sprig
10. Salt - 1 tbsp

Preparation

1. Soak millet overnight or to a minimum of 30 minutes. 
2. Soak Moong dal for 15 minutes before cooking.

Cooking Method

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and Set Saute in Normal Pressure mode.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashews for a minute.
3. Add Cumin Seeds, Whole Black Pepper, Asafoetida, Ginger, Curry leaves
4. and Saute them.
5. Add the kodo millet, moong dal and fry everything in ghee for two minutes.
6. Add Salt to taste, 6 cups of water and mix it.
7. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure valve to Sealing.
8. Cancel the Saute Mode and turn on Pressure Cook mode(Manual mode in some models) for 4 minutes.
9. After Natural Press Release(NPR), Open the lid and Mix well. 
10. Serve it hot with Chutney or Sambar.

Are there other substitutes for rice in pongal?

Yes, other millets like Foxtail Millet, Little Millet, Barnyard Millet or Quinoa can also be used as substitute for rice.

Can oil replace ghee?

Frying the millets and dal in ghee gives a nice aroma and taste but yes, ghee can be replaced by oil. 

Other tips

• The same recipe can be used to cook the millet in a stovetop pressure cooker
• Add water to adjust the consistency if the pongal is thickened

We at Vayal Foods consistently work on supplying the best quality Kodo Millets online in USA. Place your order and get your things delivered at your doorstep. Contact us if you have any questions.

Chiramas Cooking is a collection of mouth watering recipes. They have purchased and used Millets, Palm Candy and Oils from our online store a few months back and used them regularly in their recipes. Follow Chiramas on Youtube and find more recipes of this kind.