Spicy cracked wheat dalia pongal recipe

Broken wheat khara pongal
for breakfast / lunch / dinner or festival

Make this Spicy cracked wheat, dalia pongal recipe for breakfast or as a main dish for lunch.

You may also make this pongal as part of pongal festival food, a South Indian harvest festival.

'Pongal' is a name of a dish made for the South Indian festival 'Pongal or Sankranti' which usually falls in the month of January.

Pongal is a harvest festival and newly harvested moong dal - split mung bean is used along with rice. In this recipe, we are going to use dalia (broken wheat/ cracked wheat) instead of rice. The result is a yummy and healthy recipe.

Dalia or daliya is also known as wheat rava, lapsi etc. in Indian languages. In English dalia is known as broken wheat or cracked wheat.

Dalia or daliya is made with whole raw wheat and it contains the nutrition of whole wheat as it does not undergo any processing to refine it.

Good for those who are not supposed to eat rice for any reason, diabetics etc.

How to make spicy khara dalia pongal

Main ingredients for dalia pongal

Dalia - broken wheat - cracked wheat

Ghee - clarified butter

split moong dal

Kali mirch - Black pepper seeds

Ingredients to serve 2-3 persons

Dalia (broken wheat) - 1 cup
Moong dal (split mung beans) - 1/2 cup or more as you wish.
Ginger, chopped or paste (optional) - 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - 1 tbsp chopped
Fresh grated coconut(optional) - 1 table spoon
Green or red chili(optional) - 1.
Water - 3 to 4 cups depending on the consistency you want.
Salt - 1 teaspoon or to taste

Ingredients for tempering:

Ghee(clarified butter) / Oil - 1 tablespoon
Jeera (Cumin) seeds - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper corn seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves (optional) - 4-5
Haldi - Turmeric powder (optional) - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation for khara pongal

Step 2 and 3, that is roasting dalia and moong dal are optional.

Chop/slit chili, chop coriander leaves
Heat a pan, add moong dal and roast for 4-5 minutes till you get the aroma (this step is optional). Keep aside.
Add dalia to the same pan and roast for 4-5 minutes till you get the aroma (this step is optional). Keep aside.

Cooking dalia pongal on the stove top

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and pepper corns.
When they stop crackling, add asafetida, turmeric powder(if adding).
Add chopped chili, ginger, curry leaves. Fry for 5 seconds.
Add water and dalia.
Bring to boil. Cook for 10 minute on low flame. Cover in such a way that steam can be released, otherwise it will overflow.
Check after 10 minutes
When dalia is half done, add moong dal and cook till both dalia and moong dal are done to your required consistency.
Add salt, chopped coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut.
Cook further till done. Mix well. Switch off the flame.

Cover and keep for about 5 minutes and then serve.

Cooking dalia pongal in pressure cooker

Steps 1 to 3 are same as above.

Heat oil in the pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and pepper corns.
When they stop crackling, add asafetida, turmeric powder(if adding).
Add chopped chili, ginger, curry leaves. Fry for 5 seconds.
Add water and dalia, moong dal, salt, chopped coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut.
Close the cooker lid. When the steam starts coming out of the vent, place the weight on the vent and cook till you get one whistle.
Reduce flame and then keep on sim for about five minutes and then switch the stove off.
Let the pressure reduce naturally and let the cooker cool for about 10 minutes. Do not force cool or open.

Khara pongal is ready.

Serving suggestions

Serve it hot with a spoonful of ghee, as a meal by itself or with a cucumber or tomato salad and papad.

Tips :

You may add more moong dal if you wish. Sometimes I add equal amount of dalia and moong dal.
A mixture of milk and water can be used for added taste.
You can leave out the chili if you wish. The main flavor of khara pongal is of black pepper and cumin seeds.
You may add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. That does not change the taste.
Dry roasting the moong dal or not roasting is your choice. Roasting adds a little more flavor to the dal.
I make it many times without roasting and that tastes good too. The consistency of pongal is also a personal choice. But it is generally of a soft consistency.
The amount of water will depend on the consistency you want.
If made for pongal festival, garlic is not added. At other times, you may add 2-3 chopped garlic cloves along with curry leaves.