Paasi Paruppu Payasam - Moong Dal (green gram dal) Kheer

Paasi Paruppu Payasam is comfort food for me. Even the thought of it makes me feel warm and loved. I was not particularly fond of it when the best payasam was readily available but now it is more the thought than the actual taste that I remember. I preferred the javarisi(tapioca pearls) payasam any day.

Ammayee(maternal grandmother) made this payasam often for all special occasions and like anything she makes this was also delicious. With home made jaggery and the freshest of coconut why won't it? A kongu specialty that is required in all functions.



Shame on me, this is the first time I have made it. I got the recipe from my aunt a few months ago and I had to make it because today and tomorrow we celebrate DH's birthday and the Tamil New Year. It is absolutely delicious and I fail to understand why I did like it back then. Better late than never. Even more comforting a container of this in the fridge could very well serve as a fantastic breakfast as well.

Dear Reader Wishing you all a Very Happy Tamil New Year!

வாசகர்களுக்கு இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

Preparation Time: 10 - 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Paasi Paruppu Payasam - Moong Dal Kheer
Ingredients

1. 1 cup roasted paasi paruppu (split green gram dal, I used one with skin, yellow works fine too)
2. 1/2 tbsp of raw rice wash and soak in about 1 tbsp of water (optional) (2 tbsp if coconut milk is too thin soaked in 4 tbsp of water)
3. 1/4 - 1/2 cup of jaggery (depending on how sweet you want it)
4. 2 tbsp of regular sugar (I used turbinado sugar)
5. 2 cardamom pods (soak it with the rice)
6. 1/4 - 1/2 cup of grated fresh or frozen coconut
7. 2 tbsp of ghee (skip for a vegan version)
8. 1/4 cups of cashews and golden raisins

Method

1. Cook the moong dal preferably in a pressure cooker with 2 1/2 cups of water till it is soft and mushy
2. Blend the coconut,soaked rice with the water and the cardamom to a smooth paste. You could set aside some of the grated coconut aside for garnish.
3. Make a syrup with the jaggery (no string requirements here just let the jaggery dissolve so it is easier to remove the impurities) with about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of water)
4. Mash the moong dal with the back of the spoon, add the rice-coconut mixture and the jaggery syrup into and in medium low heat cook it for another 5-10 minutes till it thickens up a bit. (If you have added a bit more water cook it a bit longer till it thickens. Add the ghee about 1 1/2 tbsp towards the end of the cooking time.
5. As that cooks roast the cashews and raisins till they are golden and when ready to switch of the heat add it in.