Recipe - Yellow Moong Dal Payasam/Kheer
Now in 2020, Diwali will look a lot different. Meeting family and friends is a distant wish as we all try to beat the Covid 19 pandemic. And while this may have dampened the festivities, it cannot stop us from enjoying this beautiful festival of lights from the comfort of our homes. It may not allow us to meet our loved ones, but it definitely does give us an opportunity to be grateful for everything we have and to help and offer support to the ones who don't.
So while we are all mostly holed up at home with limited festivities, this might just be a good time to cook up a storm in the kitchen and spend some quality time with your loved ones while doing so. Today, I bring to you my favorite Moong Dal Payasam/Kheer. This delicious, super healthy and vegan dish is not just a perfect sweet treat for Diwali but is also a warm bowl of goodness in this somewhat chilly weather. With its distinct coconutty flavor and hints of cardamom, this dish makes for a lovely evening offering to friends and family.
I love how this is super healthy too. One cup has approximately 10 gm of protein and is not too high on carbs. Also the recipe uses jaggery instead of refined sugar which has a better nutritive profile than sugar. And while I wouldn't recommend you over indulge, it helps that while you are eating something indulgent it has a better nutritive value as well.
So here it goes without further ado, the recipe for this delicious dish.
Yellow Moong Dal Payasam/Kheer -Recipe
Yields 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 200 gm yellow moong dal
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut
- 1/2 cup jaggery or Gud
- 2-3 pods of Cardamom - peeled and ground to a fine powder
- A handful of cashews split into halves
- A tsp of coconut oil
- 300 ml + 100 ml Water
Wash the dal properly and soak it for 30 min. Add it to a pressure cooker and then pour 300 ml of water. Make sure the dal is completely immersed in the water and there is some additional level of water above it. Cover the lid and let it steam for 4-5 whistles. Meanwhile, in another large pot add the jaggery and 100 ml water. On medium flame, allow the jaggery to melt while stirring it. You might see some impurities at the bottom. Once the dissolved jaggery water comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Once it has cooled down, filter it to remove the impurities and set aside.
After the steam naturally releases from the pressure cooker and it has cooled, open it and mash the cooked dal into a fine paste. you can even pass it through a sieve if there is some leftover bits of undercooked dal. I recommend this step as it gives a smooth even texture to the payasam.
Now in a mixer-grinder, add the freshly grated coconut and a spoon of the cooked - mashed dal. Also add a tbsp of water. Grind this into a fine paste. There will be small bits of coconut and that is fine. This adds a lovely grainy texture to the payasam. If you aren't a fan of this texture, use coconut milk instead of the grated coconut and follow the same procedure.
Now you have the dal, the jaggery water and the coconut mixture ready. Next, in a small pan heat the coconut oil and once hot, add the cashews into it. Please note that coconut oil has a lower smoking point, so keep the heat low. As soon as the cashews turn golden, switch off the burner and set aside. Now in the same large pot used for the jaggery water, mix the cooked and mashed dal, the jaggery water and the coconut mixture. On medium heat, stir the mixture so that everything is incorporated. If needed, you can add a little water to adjust the consistency. The consistency should not to be too runny nor too thick. Let it come to a slow boil and then add the cardamom powder and the cashews. Stir and turn off the stove.
This is best served warm or you can store it in the fridge and heat it before serving. It stays well in the fridge for upto two days although I doubt it will last as long. :) Enjoy!
Here's wishing you a very happy Diwali to you and your family!
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