Payasam reminds us of any special occasion. Here I’ve made the payasam in such a way that you won’t feel guilty after having it so you can have it once in a while. It contains less ghee ( clarified butter) and less sugar. And other ingredients are not harmful to too..  This actually requiers a slight adjustment in the technique of making the payasam.

Here I’m using a pressure cooker to make the payasam. If you have the traditional uruli at home you can use that to make it even taster. Adjust the time according to that.

Preparation time : 10 mts

Cooking time : 10 + 20 Mts

Serves : 6

Ingredients :

  • Mong dal ( Cherupayar parippu) – 1/4 cup
  • Ghee – 2 tsp
  • Fresh coconut pieces – 1/4 cup
  • Water – 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup
  • Jaggery – 50g ( you can substitute jaggery with molasses sugar 1/2 cup)
  • Cardamom pods – 5
  • Coconut milk – 200 ml ( if you’re using store bought coconut milk, then dilute half the amount with 1/4 cup of water and use the other half as it is)

For making fresh coconut milk, add 1/2 cup of water to the fresh grated coconut and squeeze the liquid out. This is the 1st strain and can be used at the last stage of cooking otherwise it’ll curdle. To the same grated coconut add another cup of water and squeeze once again. This coconut milk which is the 2nd strain can be used while cooking.

  • IMG_2231.jpgresize

Method:

  1. Add ghee to a heated pressure cooker and when the ghee starts to melt add in the coconut pieces and fry till its golden brown. Once it’s golden brown remove from the pan and keep it aside. You’ll need this only at last stage of cooking. Do not throw away the remaining ghee. You can use the same pan and ghee to roast the mong dal (parippu).
  2. IMG_2229.jpgresize
  3. Once the dal is roasted it’ll change to a deeper colour. In the below picture you can see that some parts are roasted and the others are still raw. Keep on roasting for another minute or two till you get a uniform colour and the dal becomes nutty.
  4. IMG_2230.jpgresize
  5. Add 1/4 cup of water to the roasted dal and cook. Mong dal will cook very fast. Keep in mind that once we add the jaggery or sugar the dal will not cook further.
  6. At the same time in a suce pan add 1/4 cup of water and add the jiggery to it and melt the jaggery in low fire. Strain it and keep it aside. If you’re using the molasses sugar you can skip this step.
  7. Once the dal is cooked and water has reduced pour in the strained jiggery and bring it boil..
  8. IMG_2233.jpgresize
  9. Let the mixture boil in low fire and allow the water to be reduced to half its measure. This actually gives the payasam a deeper colour like the below picture.
  10. IMG_2234.jpgresize
  11. Once the water is reduced and the colour changed, add the crushed cardamom pods and the 2 nd strain of the coconut milk. For the store bought coconut milk add the coconut which is mixed with water.
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  13. Keep the fire at low and stir the payasam every 10 seconds and reduce the coconut milk to half its measure.
  14. When the consistency of the payasam is thicker than the desired, add in the 1st strain (or the thick coconut milk) and mix well. Once you’ve added the thick coconut milk switch off the fire immediately.
  15. IMG_2236.jpgresize
  16. As the last step add the roasted coconut pieces and mix once again.
  17. IMG_2237.jpgreisze

 

Parippu Payasam (Mong dal Pudding)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A traditional mong dal pudding.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Mong dal ( Cherupayar parippu) - ¼ cup
  • Ghee - 2 tsp
  • Fresh coconut pieces - ¼ cup
  • Water - ¼ cup + ¼ cup
  • Jaggery - 50g ( you can substitute jaggery with molasses sugar ½ cup)
  • Cardamom pods - 5
  • Coconut milk - 200 ml ( if you're using store bought coconut milk, then dilute half the amount with ¼ cup of water and use the other half as it is)
  • For making fresh coconut milk, add ½ cup of water to the fresh grated coconut and squeeze the liquid out. This is the 1st strain and can be used at the last stage of cooking otherwise it'll curdle. To the same grated coconut add another cup of water and squeeze once again. This coconut milk which is the 2nd strain can be used while cooking.
Instructions
  1. Add ghee to a heated pressure cooker and when the ghee starts to melt add in the coconut pieces and fry till its golden brown. Once it's golden brown remove from the pan and keep it aside. You'll need this only at last stage of cooking. Do not throw away the remaining ghee. You can use the same pan and ghee to roast the mong dal (parippu).
  2. Once the dal is roasted it'll change to a deeper colour. In the below picture you can see that some parts are roasted and the others are still raw. Keep on roasting for another minute or two till you get a uniform colour and the dal becomes nutty.
  3. Add ¼ cup of water to the roasted dal and cook. Mong dal will cook very fast. Keep in mind that once we add the jaggery or sugar the dal will not cook further.
  4. At the same time in a suce pan add ¼ cup of water and add the jiggery to it and melt the jaggery in low fire. Strain it and keep it aside. If you're using the molasses sugar you can skip this step.
  5. Once the dal is cooked and water has reduced pour in the strained jiggery and bring it boil..
  6. Let the mixture boil in low fire and allow the water to be reduced to half its measure. This actually gives the payasam a deeper colour like the below picture.
  7. Once the water is reduced and the colour changed, add the crushed cardamom pods and the 2 nd strain of the coconut milk. For the store bought coconut milk add the coconut which is mixed with water.
  8. Keep the fire at low and stir the payasam every 10 seconds and reduce the coconut milk to half its measure.
  9. When the consistency of the payasam is thicker than the desired, add in the 1st strain (or the thick coconut milk) and mix well. Once you've added the thick coconut milk switch off the fire immediately.
  10. As the last step add the roasted coconut pieces and mix once again.