MOONU RAJA PONGAL

    I am totally new to this tradition of making Pongal for Epiphany.  A few years back when I saw a Television programme highlighting the celebration of Epiphany by the people of Karaikkal & Pondicherry, a French Town.  I was amazed to know that, there existed a dish to commemorate the day and that too, a recipe so traditional and uniquely South Indian.  Made with locally available ingredients like Raw Rice, Coconut Milk & Sugar.

    Well, the tradition of celebrations get ubiquitous to the region you live in. I have seen the transformation of certain recipes with a regional touch may be with ingredients which were locally available by the migrants.  A few dishes which took transformation according to my knowledge are the Pesaha Appam made on Maundy Thursdays, which are the localized variation of the Pass-over Bread.  And another one are the Kozhukkatas made on the eve of Palm Sundays, which commemorate Easter Eggs or the stones thrown on Jesus Christ. A dish to depict the suffering of the God - ironical though!!!

Epiphany, the Feast of The Three Kings

The Adoration of the Magi

     On Jan. 6, the Feast of the Three Kings—Trzech Króli, known as the Epiphany, and it happens to be the Twelfth after Christmas.  Some Churches celebrate Epiphany to remember both the visit of the Wise Men and Jesus's Baptism! “Three wise men or the Three kings” as they are called visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh (a resin used in incense and perfumes).  Epiphany is the celebration of the manifestation(Great Revelation).  Any celebration calls for traditional dishes to commemorate the day, and the Feast of the Three Kings is a celebration with deep and rich traditions of nations around the world.  

    Epiphany is celebrated in various ways such as processions of the Magi, the Three Wise Men, gift giving, a present-delivering witch, jumping into freezing water, and cakes with a hidden secret. Three Kings Cake is served with a coin or almond baked inside. The recipes vary by region. Some serve a French puff pastry-type cake with almond paste filling. Others favour a sponge cake with almond cream filling, and yet others enjoy a light fruitcake, as in this recipe.  Can add this Three Kings Pongal into the list.  

MOONU RAJA PONGAL

    And here comes the most traditional recipe from Karaikkal/Pondicherry region in Tamil Nadu which was a French colony (and the reminiscence still lingers around) - the Moonu Raja Pongal or the Three Kings Pongal.   And it is also the time of the Harvest Festival Pongal in Tamil Nadu.  Though the fact why Pongal is made on Epiphany in these regions has another lead which says that it is made in honour of Three Great Kings who ruled Tamil Nadu and regions of Kerala - the Chera, the Chola and the Pandyas, popularly known as "Moovendars(Three Kings)".  Ha, here comes a revelation (Epiphany though...) to the name.  And mainly Rice being the staple around the region and needless to say - the coconuts.  A dish with these two ingredients fits into place.  So, there goes the history and origin of "Moonu Raja Pongal" made by the Christian community of Pondicherry, Karaikkal  & its coastal region.

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Cuisine - South Indian
Recipe Type - Sweet, Dessert
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM  

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes

HOW TO COOK MOONU RAJA PONGAL

MOONU RAJA PONGAL

INGREDIENTS:

To Cook Rice:

Raw Rice/Seeraga Samba Rice - 1/2 Cup
Thin Coconut Milk - 2 Cups
Salt - a Pinch(Optional)

For Moonu Raja Pongal:

Thick Coconut Milk - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1/2 Cup
Cardamom - 4-5 Pods

 

For Garnishing:

Ghee - 2 Tablespoons
Cashew nuts - 8-10 Nos.
Raisins  - 1  Tablespoon

METHOD:

To Cook Rice:

• Clean and wash the Rice for about 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
• If using Seeraga samba Rice, soak it for about 20-30 minutes.
  
• Drain the Rice and add it into a heavy bottomed pan or place it inside a bowl with a lid in a Pressure cooker.
• Pour Thin Coconut Milk and a pinch of Salt to the Rice and give a quick stir.
• Cover the Pressure cooker and cook for 2 Whistles on a high flame.
• Lower the flame and cook for the other 2-3 whistles.
• Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release.

For Moonu Raja Pongal:

MOONU RAJA PONGAL

• Grind Cardamom Pods in a mixer-grinder into a fine Powder and keep it aside.
• Slightly mash the cooked Rice, add the Sugar & the Cardamom powder to the cooked Rice and mix well
• Leave this on a very low flame until the Sugar is well absorbed into the Rice.
• Now, pour in 1 Cup of Thick Coconut Milk and cook on a low flame until you get the desired consistency.
• Meanwhile, heat Ghee in a pan and roast Cashew nuts until golden brown colour and Raisins fluff-up.
• Pour this into the Moonu Raja Pongal and mix well.
• Serve Moonu Raja Pongal hot with a hearty drizzle of Ghee over it.

 

MOONU RAJA PONGAL

NOTES:

• I have used Seeraga Samba which is a fragrant variety of rice.  Can replace it with Chinigura Rice or Basmati Rice.
• Traditional Recipes call for using Raw Rice.
• Fragrant variety of rice adds a wonderful aroma to this Pongal.
  
• Adjust the amount of Coconut Milk as for the rice variety you use.
• I have used the second & the third extract of Coconut Milk to cook the Rice.
  
• Adjust the sweetness to suit your taste preference.