Paruppu Payasam | Moong Dal Payasam

Cooking moong dal

1. Rinse the moong lentils a couple of times. Take the moong lentils and 1 cup water in a small pan. 
2. Pour 1.5 cups water in a stovetop pressure cooker. Keep a small trivet in the cooker. Place this small pan with the lentils and water on the trivet.
3. Pressure cook moong dal for 5 to 6 whistles on medium heat or for 9 to 10 minutes. You can also opt to cook the lentils directly in the cooker. In this case, you can add 1.5 cups water to the lentils and then pressure cook.
4. When the pressure drops naturally, remove the lid and check the lentils. The lentils should be cooked well and softened.

Making paruppu payasam

1. Pour the entire contents of the small pan (cooked moong dal + water) in another pan or a kadai (wok).
2. Mash the moong dal with a spoon.
3. Add ½ cup thin coconut milk or water and mix well.
4. Add the jaggery. For a less sweet taste, you can add ½ cup jaggery powder or grated jaggery.
5. Keep the pan or kadai on stovetop and on a low flame heat this mixture.
6. Keep on stirring so that the jaggery dissolves.
7. Once all the jaggery dissolves, then add 1 cup of thick coconut milk.
8. Mix very well and just gently heat through for a minute or two. Turn off the flame and set aside. Do not over heat or boil as the coconut milk can curdle.

Frying cashews and raisins

1. In a small pan or tadka pan, heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Add 12 to 15 cashews.
2. Fry until the cashews begin to get golden.
3. Once the cashews start becoming golden, add 1 tablespoon raisins and and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.
4. Fry the raisins till they become plump and swell.
5. Now pour the entire content of the tadka pan (coconut oil + cashews + raisins) in the payasam.
6. Mix very well and serve pasi paruppu payasam hot or warm. Refrigerate the paruppu payasam as soon as it comes to room temperature.
7. This payasam has to be refrigerated and it keeps well for a couple of days. On cooling it thickens. Opt to serve it cold or reheat until warm.