1 / 6Pongal is one of the most important Hindu festivals and is widely celebrated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is a four-day festival held in the month of Thai, which is the 10th month of the Tamil calendar. On this day, people get up early and worship the sun. Besides decorating the houses with beautiful flowers and Pongal Kolam, people also prepare traditional and seasonal dishes. Among numerous traditional Pongal dishes, here are some of the recipes that you can try to make the day memorable. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 6Payasam | This sweet rice pudding is prepared with freshly harvested grains. It is one of the most important dishes as it is offered to the gods as prasadam. It is made with jaggery, rice, coconut and ghee as the prime ingredient. (Image: Shutterstock)
3 / 6Puliyodharai | Another important dish is Poliyodharai (tamarind rice) which is offered to gods in the temples. It has a tangy taste. Similar to the payasam, it is made with freshly harvested rice. (Image: Shutterstock)
4 / 6Sakkarai Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal is a sweet dish made with rice, moong dal, milk and jaggery. This dish is offered as Prasadam to Sun God when worshipped during the Pongal festivities. It's a common dish prepared at various other festivals as well. (Image: Shutterstock)
5 / 6Sakkar and Ven Pongal | Two of the most famous dishes from the southern part of the country are sakkar and ven pongal. While sakkar pongal is a sweet version of the dish that is made with rice, moong dal, and jaggery, ven pongal is the savoury version. The ven pongal is made with rice, moong dal, coconut, cashew, and ghee. (Image: Shutterstock)
6 / 6Kambu Koozh | Kambu Koozh is a porridge made with kambu (bajra millets), turmeric, salt and water. It is rich in iron, fibre and minerals, which makes the dish a healthy option. It's an important dish in Pongal as it is made solely from the millet harvested for Pongal. (Image: Shutterstock)
