Moong dal payasam or kheer is an easy and delicious South Indian sweet dish made with petite yellow lentils. This traditional dish is made with coconut milk and sweetened using jaggery.
Popularly known as hesaru bele payasa in Karnataka and paruppu payasam in Andhra, it is common during festivals and is really easy to make.
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Why you will love this recipe
- This
Instant Pot moong dal payasam is very easy to make and is ready in less than 45 minutes. - It is perfect for festivals and celebrations, adding a touch of sweetness to celebrations.
- Moong dal kheer can easily be made vegan by replacing ghee with any cooking oil.
Ingredients
Moong dal: Or petite yellow lentils; this is the main ingredient.
Coconut milk: You can use store-bought or homemade coconut milk. See the tips section to make coconut milk at home.
Jaggery: This payasam is traditionally sweetened using jaggery. It can be replaced by using raw sugar or coconut sugar.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Fry cashew in ghee for about one minute. Once it begins to get golden, add raisins and coconut slices. Fry until the raisins puff up. Set everything aside (image 1). Next, add moong dal and fry for 2 minutes until the dal is aromatic (image 2).
Step 2: Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Cancel the saute mode and set the IP to pressure cook mode for 8 minutes (images 3 and 4).
Step 3: Do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes and put the
Step 4: Lightly mash the dal, taking care not to make it too mushy. Add jaggery and mix well. Let the IP be in saute mode until the jaggery melts completely (images 6 and 7).
Step 5: Turn off the saute mode and add coconut milk (image 8).
Step 6: Mix well and top with fried cashews, raisins, and coconut slices. Serve warm (images 9 and 10).
Expert Tips
Make sure the lid and sealing ring of the
Do not mash the cooked dal completely. The payasam must have a slight textural variation.
I like to use coconut milk in this recipe. However, moong dal kheer can also be made using regular milk.
You can use either store-bought or homemade coconut milk. Making coconut milk at home is very easy - grind ½ cup of freshly grated coconut with 1½ cups of lukewarm water. Pass it through a muslin cloth or nut milk bag.
You can store moong dal kheer in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The payasam may tend to thicken when cooled, so add some coconut milk or regular milk to adjust the consistency and simmer for a few minutes when reheating.
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Recipe card
Moong Dal Payasam (Instant Pot)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup moong dal
- 1 tablespoon ghee (use store-bought or homemade ghee)
- ½-¾ cup jaggery
- 1½ cups coconut milk
- ¼ cup cashew
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1 tablespoon coconut slices
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- 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 raisins and coconut slices
- Fry until the raisins puff up. Set everything aside
- Next, add moong dal and fry for 2 minutes, until the dal is aromatic.
- Add water and mix well.
- Cancel the saute mode and set the IP to pressure cook mode for 8 minutes.
- Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode.
- Lightly mash the dal, taking care not to make it too mushy.
- Add jaggery and mix well. Let the IP be in saute mode until the jaggery melts completely.
- Turn off the saute mode and add coconut milk. Mix well.
- Top with fried cashew, raisins, and coconut slices. Serve warm.
Jacqui says
A great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get some lentils and healthy foods into your belly!
nancy says
lovely dessert - thanks for sharing this traditional indian recipe