Chana dal payasam step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
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About this recipe
Chana dal kheer is a popular South Indian dessert made for festivals and celebrations. This simple and healthy dessert is made with split yellow peas (Bengal gram) and rice and is sweetened using jaggery. It is called kadale bele payasa in Kannada, kadalai parappu payasam in Tamil, senega pappu payasam in Telugu, and chana dal kheer in Hindi.
This traditional, lesser-known delicacy is very unique and is also given as 'prasadam' in many temples. In this recipe, I am making this payasam in Instant Pot, which saves a lot of time and gives perfect taste and texture. The main ingredients used to make this kheer is chana dal, rice, jaggery, and grated coconut. Cashew and raisins are used to add a nutty taste and texture. Ghee is used for roasting nuts and chana dal; however, it can be replaced with any neutral oil.
I have earlier shared how to make moong dal payasam in Instant Pot. Here is my version of chana dal payasam. Read on for ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and useful tips to make this unique and healthy dessert in Instant Pot. Click here for my collection of Instant Pot Indian desserts.
Ingredients
Chana dal: (Split yellow peas or Bengal gram) This is the main ingredient.
Rice: Any Indian variety of rice can be used.
Coconut: Fresh or frozen coconut can be used. If you are using frozen coconut, make sure to defrost it fully before using it.
Jaggery: This payasam is traditionally sweetened using jaggery. It can be replaced by using raw sugar or coconut sugar.
Ghee: It is used to fry the nuts, chana dal, and rice. For a vegan version, replace it with any neutral cooking oil.
Other ingredients: Cashew, raisins, and cardamom powder.
Step-by-step instructions
Grind the coconut into a smooth paste using one cup of water. Set it aside (step 1).
Heat ghee and add cashew and fry for about one minute. Once cashew begins to get golden, add the raisins. Fry until the raisins puff up. Set everything aside (step 2).
Next, add chana dal and rice. Fry for 2 minutes, until the dal is aromatic. Add the ground coconut (step 4).
Add 3 cups of water and mix well (step 5). Cancel the saute mode and set the IP to pressure cook mode for 10 minutes (step 6).
Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release. Lightly mash the rice-dal mixture, taking care not to make it too mushy (step 7).
Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode. Add the jaggery and mix well. Let the jaggery melt (step 8).
Let the IP be on saute mode (low) for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the saute mode and fried cashew and raisins. Mix well and serve warm (steps 9,10).
Useful tips to make chana dal payasam
Make sure the lid and sealing ring of the Instant Pot is cleaned thoroughly. I set aside a spare sealing ring that I use to make sweet dishes.
Frying the chana dal and rice in ghee is an important step and cannot be skipped. Put the Instant Pot in saute mode (normal) and it does not take more than 2 minutes for them to turn lightly golden and aromatic.
You can replace jaggery with coconut sugar or raw sugar.
Do not mash the cooked dal completely. We want it to have some texture.
I like to grind fresh or frozen coconut with water and use it in this kheer. However, you may also replace it with coconut milk. If you use coconut milk, add it after pressure cooking, else it may split.
I am using ¾ cup of jaggery to sweeten the payasam. You may increase it to one cup for a sweeter version or use ½ cup for a mildly sweet kheer, depending on your preference.
Click here to browse through my collection of Instant Pot lentil recipes.
FAQs
Yes. However, it is important to add coconut milk after pressure cooking the dal and rice mixture. Add it along with jaggery and simmer for 2-3 minutes. For this recipe, you will need one cup of coconut milk.
You can store it in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The payasam may tend to thicken when cooled, so add some water to adjust the consistency and simmer for a few minutes when reheating.
Bonus
This Instant Pot chana dal payasam is:
- very easy to make
- perfect for festivals and celebrations
- customizable to make it vegan-friendly
- quick, delicious, and healthy
Recipe card
Chana Dal Payasam (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- ½ cup chana dal split Bengal gram
- ¼ cup rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¾ cup jaggery
- ½ cup coconut fresh or frozen (see notes)
- ¼ cup cashew
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 4 cups water divided
Instructions
- Grind the coconut into a smooth paste using one cup of water. Set it aside.
- Set Instant Pot in Saute mode and add ghee.
- Once it melts, add cashew and fry for about one minute. Once it begins to get golden, add the raisins.
- Fry until the raisins puff up. Set everything aside.
- Next, add chana dal and rice. Fry for 2 minutes, until the dal is aromatic.
- Add 3 cups of water and the ground coconut paste. Mix well.
- Cancel the saute mode and set the IP to pressure cook mode for 10 minutes.
- Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Lightly mash the rice-dal mixture, taking care not to make it too mushy.
- Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode.
- Add the jaggery and mix well. Let the jaggery melt.
- Add more water to adjust consistency. Let the IP be on saute mode (low) for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the saute mode and fried cashew and raisins. Mix well and serve warm.
Andrea says
love that this dal is refined sugar free! so good!