Paruppu Payasam or Moongdal Kheer with stepwise photos. This easy dessert or sweet is made with yellow moong dal and sweetened with jaggery. Paruppu payasam is made as neivedhyam or offering to God during Navratri, Tamil New Year, Varalakshmi Vratham, Thai Amavasai & other special festive occasions.
Moong dal kheer is mostly made only with yellow moong dal, but often it is also made with a mix of moong dal, chana dal and sometimes rice as well.
In South India, for neivedhyam only jaggery based dishes are made for sweet like this thengai arisi payasam, pasiparuppu puttu and chakkarai pongal. So this payasam is very apt to make on such occasions.
Table of Contents:
If you choose to make this payasam by cooking the moong dal in a pressure cooker, then it takes very little time to cook as when compared to cooking in an open pan.
As this recipe does not demand one string consistency of jaggery syrup, this is beginner-friendly & anyone can make this paruppu payasam.
Ingredients
Moong dal: Yellow moong dal makes the base and the main ingredient for the payasam. It is also called ‘payatham paruppu’ or ‘siru paruppu’ in tamil.
Jaggery: This is used to sweeten the payasam. I used a stone pestle to crush and crumble the jaggery to measure it before using. Use ‘paagu vellam’ which is darker to make the payasam.
Milk: I have used both regular milk and coconut milk for added flavour and taste.
Aromatics: I have used cardamom powder, ginger powder, and edible camphor or pachcha karpooram. These not only add more aroma to the payasam but also helps to digest it easily.
Other ingredients: I have used cashew nuts, which I roasted in ghee to add more aroma and nutty bite to the payasam. I’ve also added a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness.
Instructions
To make paruppu payasam,
Heat a pan and dry roast yellow moong dal to light golden brown over medium flame.
Transfer to a bowl. Add water and rinse it 2 to 3 times.
Place the bowl in a pressure cooker with water.
Cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Mash lightly and set aside.
To the same pan, add ghee and once it melts, add cashew nuts and roast till they become golden brown and set this aside.
Meanwhile, take the jaggery in a bowl.
Add ¼ cup water and heat it over medium flame for the jaggery to dissolve completely.
Strain the jaggery syrup into a pan and boil till it is bubbling.
Add the cooked moong dal, mix well and let it once again come to a boil.
Mix in milk, cardamom powder, edible camphor, ginger powder, a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 2 more mins and switch off the stove.
Finally, add coconut milk & roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
Serve this paruppu payasam hot or warm.
Recipe Notes
Add coconut milk only after switching off the stove. If you add it while the payasam is cooking, it may curdle.
When using jaggery, it is always better to dissolve it in water and filter any impurities before using the syrup. This also prevents the kheer from curdling.
If you wish the kheer to be sweeter, then increase the quantity of jaggery to 1 cup.
Top Tip
To a bowl of paruppu payasam, add 1 crushed appalam on top and serve it. The salty appalam and the payasam sweetened with jaggery make a great combo and together they both taste heavenly.
Nutrition Profile
This recipe is
- Egg-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Soy-Free
- Vegetarian
Storage
It is best to eat the paruppu payasam within 6 to 8 hours on the same day after cooking. As it has coconut milk, it can spoil easily when kept at room temperature for longer hours.
If refrigerating the leftovers, do not reheat the payasam as it will split sometimes. So instead of reheating, thaw it at room temperature before adding hot milk, and mix it well before serving.
Variations
Instead of using only yellow moong dal, you can use 2 tablespoon chana dal or kadala paruppu along with moong dal while roasting and continue with the recipe.
You can also add 2 tablespoon rice grits (noi arisi) or millets along with dals.
Sometimes when I don't have enough coconut, instead of using coconut milk, I use regular milk and grind together a small piece of coconut, a teaspoon of raw rice & cardamom into a paste and add it to the payasam. This gives a different taste and texture.
FAQ's
The nature of moong dal is, that it turns viscous and a bit slimy when it is cooked as such. Dry roasting it prior to cooking prevents this from happening.
So do not skip the step of dry roasting the moon dal before cooking.
Yes, of course. Instead of coconut milk, you can use regular milk or almond milk in its place. But avoid using soy milk as it will change the flavour of the payasam.
Instead of using jaggery, you can use cane sugar. If using cane sugar, you can add it as such to the cooked dal and don’t have to make a syrup & filter it.
You can also use palm sugar, and use it just like jaggery.
Related Recipes
See more Payasam or Kheer Recipes
If you loved this recipe, tap --> Rate or in the recipe card below to give us a 5 star rating!
If you have tried this recipe & have any more queries, send an email to ticklingpalates@gmail.com
Recipe
Paruppu Payasam Recipe - Moong Dal Kheer
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow moong dal or payatham paruppu
- ¾ cup jaggery grated
- 4 cardamom powdered
- 10 cashew nuts
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup thick coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1 pinch edible camphor or pachcha karpooram
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Heat a pan and add yellow moong dal. Dry roast over medium flame till the dal turns light golden brown and aromatic.
- Transfer to a bowl. Add water and rinse it 2 to 3 times.
- To the same pan, add ghee and once it melts, add cashew nuts and roast till they become golden brown and set this aside.
- Place the moong dal bowl in a pressure cooker. Add 1-½ cups water, close with the lid and cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Mash the dal lightly after opening the cooker and set it aside.
- Alternately, you can also cook the dal in the open pan till it is cooked soft. This should take 20 to 25 mins.
- Meanwhile, take the jaggery in a bowl. Add ¼ cup water and heat it over medium flame for the jaggery to dissolve completely.
- Strain the jaggery syrup into a pan and boil over low flame till it begins to bubble incessantly.
- Add the cooked moong dal, mix well, mash-up any lumps and let it once again come to a boil over low flame.
- Add milk, cardamom powder, edible camphor, ginger powder, a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 2 more mins and switch off the stove. The kheer would have slightly thickened by now.
- Add coconut milk & ghee roasted cashew nuts and mix well.
- Serve this paruppu payasam hot or warm.
WANT MORE RECIPES?
Browse plenty more quick & flavorful recipes easily by course, method, occasion & diet.
Leave a Reply.