Moong dal payasam/Split green gram dessert

Quick yet delicious and easy South Indian dessert is this moongdal payasam or split green gram dessert. The richness of jaggery, coconut milk and the goodness of green gram flavored with cardamom powder loaded with ghee fried cashewnuts and raisins. Ain't that making you drool as you read? 

This easy dessert is yet bound to win the hearts of the ones who are served. Are you looking for one? If yes, then here you go without much ado. 

Ingredients:

Moong dal/Split green gram - ¾ cup

Water - 2¼ cup

Thin coconut milk/regular cow milk - ¼ cup

Coconut milk - 1½ cup

Jaggery powder - 1 cup

Cashewnuts - 10-20 broken

Raisins - 20-30

Ghee-5tsp

Cardamom - 3 pods crushed

Salt a pinch

Recipe:

1. Dry roast the dal/split green gram until a nice aroma comes out. 
2. Add water and around 1 tsp ghee and let it pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
3. Fry cashewnuts in remaining ghee till golden and add raisins and saute till they bulge. Set aside. 
4. Add jaggery powder to the cooked gram and cook for another 3-4 mins. 
5. Add thin coconut milk or regular cow milk and cook another 5 mins. 
6. Add the pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness. Mix well. 
7. Lower the flame and add thick coconut milk, now add the fried raisins and cashewnuts.
8. Followed by that add cardamom, mix and serve. 

This was part of the South Indian Thali tonight at home. Thali was indeed quick one that took me around an 1 hour in total. 

Thali has:

Kosambari(Indian salad made of soaked green gram, fresh coconut, cucumbers and grated carrots)

Gujje palya (Tender jackfruit dry)

Chepparadavare neerulli palya (Flat beans with onions dry)

Navilukosu sambar(Kohlrabi/Knol khol sambar)

Rice

Moongdal payasa(split green gram dessert) for which you see the recipe above. 

Notes :

• Use regular milk if you don't have access to coconut milk. Taste definitely differs though. 
• If jaggery powder isn't available, melt jaggery adding water and use that melted jaggery water to the cooled gram. 

Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)