Parippu Payasam/Moong dal kheer and a Happy Onam !!

Wishing all of you a very Happy and Prosperous Onam !! Another Onam has arrived, time is sure flying. Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala which extends for 10 days from Atham to Thiruvonam. It is celebrated widely irrespective of the caste and religion. Onam relates to many things like Pookalams, Onasadhya, Onakalikal etc. Onam reminds me of some good memories of my childhood especially the 10 days school holidays which we eagerly used to wait :). Our cousins used to visit us and we used to enjoy a lot during these days.

Now coming to the recipe, its a simple payasam using moong dal. I have made in an easy way, authentic recipe calls for adding thin and thick coconut milk, also adding roasted cumin powder and dry ginger powder at the end. I have used only cardamom powder here. It's a delicious payasam and hope you will try it out for this Onam.

What you need?

1 cup CheruParippu/Moong dal

1.5 cup powdered Jaggery ( or as per your taste)

1 cup thick Coconut milk

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp each Cashews and Raisins

1 tbsp Ghee

How to prepare?

Dry roast the moong dal in a pan for few minutes without changing its colour. Keep it aside and allow the dal to cool completely. Now wash and drain the dal. Cook the dal in a pressure cooker with sufficient water. The dal should be soft and mushy.

Meanwhile, heat a little water, add jaggery to it and melt the jaggery. When jaggery is fully dissolved, remove from fire and strain away the impurities. Once dal is cooked, add this jaggery syrup to it and cook on a medium flame for few minutes.Keep stirring so that it won't get burnt at bottom. Now add the coconut milk and cook on a low flame for few minutes. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Remove from stove.

Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee until golden brown and add to the payasam.

Enjoy this payasam on the beautiful occassion of Onam....

Once again, Wishing all of you a very Happy Onam !!