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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Indian Sweets & desserts » Moong Dal Payasam

    Published: Sep 13, 2020 | Last Updated On: Sep 14, 2020 by Neha Mathur

    Moong Dal Payasam

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    Jump to Recipe

    Moong Dal Payasam or Moong Dal Kheer also called Pesara Paruppu Payasam in South India is a thick, creamy sweet dish made using Moong lentils, milk, and dry fruits. It’s like a North Indian kheer made using the lentil. Here is how to make it.

    Moong Dal Payasam served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step By Step Recipe
    • Variations
    • Instant Pot Moong Dal Payasam
    • Pro Tips By Neha
    • Recipe Card

    About This Recipe

    Prepared using the split skinned green gram, this Payasam is a great vegan alternative for other kinds of kheer like Carrot Kheer, Seviyan Kheer, Rice Kheer, Paneer Kheer, and Makhane Ki Kheer.

    Rightly balanced and textured, this dessert has the goodness of lentils, coconut milk, and jaggery, making it healthy along with being delicious.

    Also, if you add a dash of cardamom powder and cook it on a medium flame then this dessert turns out even more delicious.

    Most importantly, adding a mix of dry fruits gives it a wonderful texture. Moreover, it enhances the nutritive value of this humble dessert considerably.

    It is popularly prepared during Pongal and Makar Sankranti. You can also make this dish for festivals, any special occasion, or when you wish to serve something different yet traditional.

    This Moong Dal Payasam is,

    • Healthy
    • Delicious
    • Popular in South India
    • Perfect for festivals

    Ingredients

    Moong Dal Payasam Ingredients.

    Moong Dal – Opt for dhuli or yellow moong dal to make this delicious Payasam.

    Coconut Milk – To make this Payasam, we will use both thin and thick coconut milk. This adds a creamy texture to this dish. You can even add dairy milk instead of coconut milk to make this payasam.

    Jaggery – I have used jaggery, for a healthy alternative. You can even add sugar.

    Ghee – A little ghee is added in the beginning. It adds a nice rich flavor.

    Cardamom Powder – The addition of Cardamom Powder makes this Kheer even more delicious. If you do not have cardamom powder, you can even add crushed cardamom seeds in the Payasam.

    Tempering – Once the payasam is prepared, it is tempered with coconut and cashews that are roasted lightly in ghee.

    You can also prepare this Kheer by using Rice, Sago, Chana Dal instead of Moong Dal.

    Step By Step Recipe

    Wash the dal and add it in a pressure cooker.

    Washed dal added in a pressure cooker.

    Roast until it turns brown and aromatic.

    Roasted until browned.

    Add water and ghee in the cooker.

    Water and ghee added in the cooker.

    Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on high heat or until dal is soft.

    Lid closed.

    Mix jaggery and ¼ cup water in a pan.

    Jaggery and water added in a pan.

    Cook until jaggery dissolves in water.

    Jaggery melted in water.

    Strain the jaggery water and add in the cooked dal.

    jaggery water strained in the cooker.

    Add 1 cup thin coconut milk and cook the payasam for 2-3 minutes.

    Thin coconut milk added in the cooker.

    Add thick coconut milk and cook for another minute.

    Thick coconut milk added in the cooker.

    Heat ghee for frying in a pan.

    Ghee heating in a pan.

    Add cashew nuts and coconut and fry until they turn brown.

    Cashew nuts and coconut added in the pan.
    Fried cashew and coconut.

    Pour it over the ready payasam with cardamom powder.

    Nuts with ghee and cardamom powder poured in the payasam

    Mix well and serve hot.

    Ready moong dal payasam.

    Variations

    With Cow’s Milk – Use dairy milk instead of coconut milk to prepare this Payasam. You can either use jaggery or sugar to sweeten the Kheer.

    Mangalore Style – In this version, ground rice paste is used along with dhuli moong dal along with coconut milk and jaggery.

    Karnataka Style – Also known as Hesaru Bele Payasam, this Payasam is prepared exactly like the below-given recipe. It is tempered with only dry fruits and no dry coconut is used.

    Vegan – You can skip adding ghee in the Kheer and dry fruits without roasting them in ghee. Other ingredients used in this Payasam are vegan friendly.

    Instant Pot Moong Dal Payasam

    To prepare this Payasam in Instant Pot, press the sauté button. Add the moong dal in the pot and dry roast for about 2-3 minutes, or until it turns golden and aromatic. Remove it from the pot.

    Press the sauté button. Add ghee and once it melts, add in the cashews and dry coconut. Stir-fry until golden. Remove and keep it aside.

    Once you removed the cashews and coconut, add the moong dal back into the pot along with 1 cup of water.

    Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and cook for 12 minutes at high pressure. Release the pressure naturally.

    Open the pot, mash the lentils a bit and then press the sauté button. Add jaggery, cardamom powder and give it a mix.

    Once done, add in the coconut milk and mix everything well. Cook the payasam for about 3-4 minutes, or until it thickens a bit. Garnish with roasted coconut and cashews and serve hot.

    Pro Tips By Neha

    Roasting the moong dal adds to the aroma and taste of the Payasam. Do not skip this step for the best taste.

    You can use homemade coconut milk. If using store bought coconut milk, make sure to add in good quality coconut milk.

    Addition of dry fruits adds to the richness of the Payasam. Roast them a little in ghee before adding to the Payasam.

    You might also like

    • Moong Dal Chilla
    • Moong Dal Pakoda (Moong Dal Bhajia)
    • Moong Dal Halwa
    • Moong Dal Dosa

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Moong Dal Payasam or Moong Dal Kheer also called Pesara Paruppu Payasam in South India is a thick, creamy sweet dish made using Moong lentils, milk, and dry fruits. It's like a North Indian kheer made using the lentil. Here is how to make it.

    Moong Dal Payasam Recipe

    Moong Dal Payasam or Moong Dal Kheer also called Pesara Paruppu Payasam in South India is a thick, creamy sweet dish made using Moong lentils, milk, and dry fruits. It's like a North Indian kheer made using the lentil. Here is how to make it.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 179kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • ½ cup Dhuli Moong Dal
    • 2 cups Water
    • 1 teaspoon Ghee
    • 1 cup Jaggery
    • 1 cup Thin Coconut Milk
    • 1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
    • ¼ cup Thick Coconut Milk

    For Frying:

    • 2 teaspoon Ghee
    • 10-12 Cashew Nuts (halved)
    • 2 tablespoon Dry Coconut (thinly sliced)
    US Customary or Metric
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    Instructions

    • Wash the dal and add it in a pressure cooker.
    • Roast until it turns brown and aromatic.
    • Add water and ghee in the cooker.
    • Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on high heat or until dal is soft.
    • Mix jaggery and ¼ cup water in a pan.
    • Cook until jaggery dissolves in water.
    • Strain the jaggery water and add in the cooked dal.
    • Add 1 cup thin coconut milk and cook the payasam for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add thick coconut milk and cardamom powder and cook for another minute.
    • Heat ghee for frying in a pan.
    • Add cashew nuts and coconut and fry until they turn brown.
    • Pour the ghee over the ready payasam.
    • Serve hot.

    Notes

    Roasting the moong dal adds to the aroma and taste of the Payasam. Do not skip this step for the best taste.
    You can use homemade coconut milk. If using store-bought coconut milk, make sure to add in good quality coconut milk.
    The addition of dry fruits adds to the richness of the Payasam. Roast them a little in ghee before adding to the Payasam.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Natasha @ Salt and Lavender

      February 10, 2016 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! Beautiful photos.

      Reply
      • msnehamathur

        February 12, 2016 at 1:55 am

        Thnx Natasha

        Reply

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