Ven pongal or khara pongal is a popular dish in South Indian homes and is served as breakfast dish in Tamil Nadu. It is called as huggi in Karnataka. Ven pongal is a spicy variant made with rice, moong dal, black pepper, cumin seeds and cashew nuts. It is commonly prepared during pongal, a harvest festival, where this dish is prepared to celebrate the festival. Ven pongal is very easy to prepare and tastes best when served with sambar or coconut chutney.