Couscous Pongal | Savory Pongal with Couscous | Khara Pongal

Savory Pongal made with couscous and moong dal. Pongal is a popular south-indian breakfast dish. couscous pongal, quick and delish alternative to savory pongal made with rice or millets.

Khara Pongal Recipe | Savory Pongal with couscous | Couscous khara pongal | Pongal with couscous | Ven Pongal with couscous | How to make couscous khara pongal | Quick and easy Ven Pongal recipe

Jump to:

• Pongal Love
• What is Couscous?
• Why Couscous Pongal ?
• Pongal with Other Grains
• Ingredients to Make Couscous Khara Pongal
• Pongal Recipes
• How to make Couscous Savory Pongal
• Couscous Pongal | Couscous Savory Pongal

Pongal Love

Nothing beats a plate of warm Venpongal, with buckets of sambar and some white coconut chutney. At home Ven Pongal, is generally called as sleeping pill. Yeah, the carb overload from rice and moong dal, makes your eyelids so heavy, you definitely need a good 1-2 hours nap post your Pongal feast. So, we make it for Weekend brunch, and lunch is replaced with an amazing afternoon siesta.

What is Couscous?

Couscous, small steamed granules of rolled durum wheat semolina. Couscous is traditionally made from semolina, the hardest part of the grain of durum wheat. The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. 

I came across this What is Couscous article from food network while reading about couscous. If you love reading about food and its process, you should definitely check this article.

Why Couscous Pongal ?

Pongal is a popular south-indian breakfast dish. A savory dish made with rice and lentils, tempered with curry leaves, ginger and loads of black pepper and cumin. Pongal is usually served with sambar and white chutney.

It is the most popular dish served in marriage functions for breakfast. Since Pongal is a no onion and no garlic dish, it is preferred as offerings during pooja days.

I served this couscous khara pongal for lunch last week. I was worried how my teen and pre-teen would react ,but to my surprise both loved this delish couscous pongal. Taste wise, this couscous pongal tastes exactly like our rice ven pongal.

If you want to compare the nutritional value of rice and couscous, then the latter has less calories, little more protein and less carbohydrates when compared to rice. These nutritional values usually go up and down depending on your serving size. Please note there is no good or bad food. All food groups consumed in moderation and regular workout is always healthy, so never blame the food.

Pongal with Other Grains

I love cooking with other grains and millets. Since pongal is famous breakfast dish, i have made barley pongal, replacing rice with barley. Trust me, no one can make it out, that it isn't rice. Another variation is this creamy rava pongal, made with semolina. Check this multigrain flakes khara pongal for yet another pongal variation.

If you are looking for millet based pongal recipes, check this varagu venpongal and thinai sarkarai pongal.

Ingredients to Make Couscous Khara Pongal

• Main Ingredients : Couscous and Moong dal are the hero ingredients. Couscous I have used the smallest size, widely available Moroccan couscous. This is instant, pre-cooked. Add boiling water and keep it closed for 8-10 minutes, you will get beautifully cooked, soft and fluffy couscous, that can be used in variety of recipes.

• Tempering : The regular Indian tempering ingredients mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves and hing is used in this khara pongal recipe. I have also added one green chili in this Ven Pongal recipe.
• Flavorings : Lots of ginger and freshly pounded pepper adds the real flavor to khara pongal recipes. Since savory dish, salt goes without saying.
• Fat : Ghee is preferred but, I have used oil for tadka and added butter towards the end for richness.
• Garnish : Usually cashews are roasted in ghee and added. My younger one has sensitivity towards cashewnuts, so i have used roasted almonds.

How to make Couscous Savory Pongal

Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions

• Measure and keep all the ingredients ready. Take the moong dal, add enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until soft.
• While the moong dal is cooking, take couscous in a wide bowl, add twice the amount of hot water to this, mix well and keep it covered.
• Let the pressure of moong dal drop on its own, remove and mash it well with the back of the ladle.
• Now for the tempering, keep the ingredients listed ready. Heat a heavy bottom pan with ghee/oil, according to preference.

• Once hot, throw in mustard seeds, slit green chili, curry leaves and shredded ginger and cumin seeds.
• Now add the softly cooked dal to this and the beautifully swelled couscous. Add ¼ cup water to the moong dal vessel, wash and add that liquid to this. Let this boil and cook for 8-10 minutes.
• Add pounded black pepper powder and butter, mix and let it cook for 5 more minutes until saucy.
• Remove and serve it hot with chutney and sambar

Enjoy this rich and delish couscous ven pongal for breakfast or brunch with buckets of sambar and your favorite chutney. We usually like white coconut chutney with Khara Pongal.