Moong Dal Kheer / Pasi Paruppu Payasam

This is yet again a lovely, mouthwatering and simple recipe. You can make this for any festival days.  The subtle sweetness and smoothness of dal/lentils tastes divine. You can add fried coconut pieces to give the crunchiness.

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal / Green Gram Split  - 1 Cup
• Jaggery - 1 1/2 cup (Indian sweetener made from sugar cane juice- Available in Indian store)
• Milk - 1/2 Cup
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee /Clarified Butter- 1 tbsp
• Cardamom/Elaichi Powder - 1 tsp
• Cashewnuts/Almond for decoration

Time Required: 15-20 mins

Method:

1. Roast the moong dal nicely till it turns to brown color.
2. Soak it in the water about 4 hrs (otherwise the cook time is huge else cook it in pressure cooker for 2 whistles)
3. Rinse out from the soaked water and boiled the moong dal in fresh water.
4. In another pan dissolved the jaggery with 1/2 cup of water (drain out the dust if any)
5. Add the jaggery syrup, 1tsp of cardamom powder, milk to the  moong dal mixture and cook until tender
6.  Fry the cashew nuts in ghee and add it the payasam and enjoy :)

Serving: You can serve hot or cold as per your family members preference. It tastes good in both the ways.

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Moong Dal Khichdi / Moogachya Dalichi Khichdi

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice
• ½ cup Moong Dal / Green Gram Split
• 5 cups Water (apprx. twice the quantity of rice and dal)
• 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric/Haldi powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder(optional)
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida/Hing
• Salt to taste

Time Required: 30 mins

Method:

1) Wash rice and moong dal, drain and keep aside.
2) Heat oil in pressure cooker pan, add pepper powder and jeera, allow to splutter, then add haldi, and asafoetida.
3) If you want you can also add vegetables of your choice like green peas, potatoes, onions etc. Stir fry the vegetables till soft. Add red chili powder(optional).
4) Now add rice + dal and water (apprx. twice the quantity of rice and dal). And then add salt.
5) Cover and pressure cook the khichadi. 3 whistles is enough. Smear some ghee.
6) Serve hot with Kadi and roasted papad.

*Papad means- It is one type of Indian fryums in a shape of thin, disc shaped often made from black gram/white lentils & rice.

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