Paasi Paruppu Payasam - Green Gram Dal kheer

SNC is monthly challenge organized by Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian Food .In this event two teams challenge each other with their authentic regional recipes. Divya from southern team challenged us with this Paasi Paruppu Payasam / Green Gram Dal Payasam. I never heard about this recipe before this challenge. So tried it first time and is easy, tasty and authentic recipe.

Pasipparupu payasam is a traditional payasam made in south India for auspicious south Indian festivals. This is traditionally made with water but I made with milk for getting the extra creamy texture.

Ingredients:

100 gm Split green gram dal / Yellow moong dal / Paasi paruppu

25 gm Raw rice/Pacharisi (nearly half cup or a handful; optional)

200 gm Jaggery / Achu Vellam (nearly 5 pieces)

10 to 15 Cashew nuts  

3 Cardamom pods (or) ¼ tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp Grated coconut (or) 12 Coconut pieces (1/2 inch long)

150 ml Milk  

1 tbsp Ghee (you can be generous here you can add another tbsp too)

 ½ tsp Saffron (soaked in warm milk)

Method:

* Wash dal and rice in water and set aside. 

* Grind Coconut pieces and Cardamom pods coarsely and set aside. (If you are using grated coconut    grind the cardamom pods alone, you can add grated coconut as it is.)

*Take jaggery / Achu Vellam, place inside a paper and crush it into smaller pieces using a meat tenderizer or hammer. Then put in a blender or mixer grinder and grind jaggery into fine powder; set aside.

*  In a pressure cooker add split green gram dal/moong dal/paasi paruppu, raw rice/pacharisi (rice is optional, if you do not have raw rice you can add basmati rice too)  then pour 300 ml of water, close the lid, place the whistle or regulator and pressure cook for 10 minutes on low flame.

* Open the lid after 10 minutes or after the pressure drops. 

* Then mash the well cooked dal, pour milk and place on flame. Stir well. (Cook on low flame)

* This consistency will be perfect so, extra water is not necessary here, but if you feel your dal is thick even after adding milk, and then add a little more water.

* Then add the jaggery powder and stir well. Check for sweetness and add more jaggery if necessary. 

* Add the grated coconut (or) the prepared coarse coconut mixture and stir well. Cook for a minute or 2.

* In another pan/tadka pan add ghee, when its starts to melt add the cashews and fry till it turns brown and add it to the payasam. (Always fry cashews on low flame else it will burn quickly, and when it starts). Add Saffron milk.

* Remove from flame and serve. (As time goes the kheer will thicken, if it thickens up too much, just place on flame, add some more milk or water and stir well)

Thanks to Divya for this delicious payasam...

Sending this recipe to Divya