Hello and Happy Tuesday! Hope you had a good long weekend. Ours was mostly low key as it’s been a rainy stormy weekend around here. So it was kind of nice to actually get out of the house and go some where we could get dressed up.

We met our cousins to celebrate the Indian harvest festival of Shankranthi, also called Pongal among South Indian Tamilians.

Shankranthi, Pongal – the Indian harvest festival

Shankranthi is celebrated all over India in January to bring in the harvest from the farms. Celebrated with lots of feasting, and colorful attire, this is the first of Indian festivals for the new year.

Celebrating Pongal at Uma and Nando’s

In our family our cousins Uma and Nando host a delicious vegetarian feast every year to celebrate the festival. It’s always a delectable vegetarian feast with lots of laughter and family. Here is a look at this year’s Pongal celebration to ring in the new year.

Hello 🥰 Happy New Year 🎉 Let’s Catch Up 💕

Frying up some fritters called bondas

Cousins Uma and Meera frying up some fritters made with chickpea flour, rice flour and lentil flour flavored with onions, green chilies and garam masala. Delicious little bites to add to our feast.

Hot bondas ready for a tasting. They were yummy 😋

Ready for our vegetarian feast

Uma really out did herself! So many dishes all loaded with good for you vegetables, grains and legumes. Here is a look at our menu.

Pongal Lunch Menu

Ven Pongal – Rice and lentil dish lightly spiced with turmeric and black pepper
Shakrae Pongal – Sweetened rice and lentil dish sweetened with raw brown sugar
Pongal Sambhar (Thick lentil stew made with over nine varieties of vegetables)
Biryani – Spicy Veggie Fried Rice
Rasam – Thin spiced tomato soup
Tarro Root Curry
Coconut Chutney
Raita
Parupu Usli – Lentil and Veggie Salad

Ready to pile our plates with food 😋🍲

Ended our lunch with fresh brewed coffee ☕️ Perfect ending to a wonderful lunch 💕

Hope you enjoyed this colorful look at our Shankranthi feast.
Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead!