Moong dal payasam is a delicious sweet dish made with moong dal, jaggery, coconut milk, ghee and nuts. Kheer and payasam are the terms that refer to Indian puddings mostly cooked with milk. Moong dal payasam is a traditional South Indian variety & is also known as paruppu payasam or parippu payasam.
Moong dal payasam tastes delicious with an unique aroma of the roasted moong dal, ghee and jaggery.
It is a crowd-pleaser & making it is very easy. If making in large quantity then you can also dry roast dal the previous night as it saves some time.
We make moong dal payasam & sweet pongal during navratri to offer as naivedyam.
We also make this during summers as moong dal is considered to be cooling and is said to reduce the body heat.
Preparation
1. Dry roast half cup moong dal until aromatic. You can directly roast in pressure cooker or pot as well.
2. Wash and cook with 1 & 1/4 cup water until soft.
3. Skip this step if your jaggery is clean. If your jaggery is not clean then add the grated one to a bowl with 3 to 4 tbsps of water. Heat it until it melts & turns slightly thick. It should be still runny & of pouring consistency. Cool this if you are using normal milk.
How to make moong dal payasam
4. When the pressure releases, check the dal. It should be cooked fully and turn soft. Mash it slightly.
5. Add cardamom powder, ginger powder & the thin coconut milk or milk and stir well. Cook on a low flame for a while or until it begins to bubble.
Filter the jaggery syrup. Switch off the flame if you have used normal milk.
6. Stir well. If using coconut milk only – bring it to a gentle boil. Then pour 1/4 cup of first extract or thick coconut milk. Turn off the stove.
7. Fry nuts in ghee and garnish moong dal payasam.
Tips
- Roasting moong dal brings out an aroma. So do not skip that.
- Use generous amount of ghee as it enhances the taste and aroma of the dish.
- We usually do not cook the dal to mushy texture. So cook it according to your taste. It has to be soft cooked but must still hold shape partially.
- If your jaggery is pure and has no impurities then you may add it directly without making the jaggery syrup.
- You can also fry coconut slices in ghee until golden and garnish.
- Use fresh good quality coconut milk. If you do not have coconut milk, you can also replace it with regular milk but with caution.
For more payasam recipes, you may like to check
Rice payasam
Semiya payasam
Javvarisi payasam
Chana dal payasam
You can also find more similar recipes,
moong dal halwa
moong dal laddu
instant moong dal dosa
Pasi paruppu payasam recipe
Moong dal payasam (Paruppu payasam)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Instructions
Preparation
- Add moong dal to a cooker or pot. Dry roast on a medium heat till you get a nice aroma.
- Then rinse the dal very well and pour 1½ cup water. If cooking in a pot you may need to add more water.
- Pressure cook on a medium flame until soft for 2 whistles.
- Optional – Skip this step if the jaggery is clean. While the dal cooks, grate and add jaggery to a small pot with 3 to 4 tbsps of water. Boil it on a medium heat until slightly thick yet runny & of pouring consistency. When done set this aside.
Making moong dal payasam
- When the pressure releases, mash the cooked dal slightly. If you prefer smooth payasam then mash it well.
- Dal must be fully cooked and should not be even slightly hard. If it is aldente then cook for some more time until soft adding more water if needed.
- Pour the thin coconut milk or milk to the dal and bring it to a gentle boil on a low flame.
- Add cardamom powder & ginger powder (optional).
- Place a filter over the pot and pour jaggery syrup through it to the payasam. Mix it well.
- Bring the paruppu payasam to a gentle boil. Optionally pour ¼ cup thick coconut milk.
- Turn off the stove. Do not boil any longer.
- If using regular milk – Cool the jaggery syrup completely before you add here. If you pour the hot jaggery syrup to boiling payasam, it will curdle most of the times. So make sure you cool it. Also turn off the stove and cook no longer.
Frying nuts
- Heat ghee in a small pan. Fry the cashews & coconut until slightly golden. Then add the raisins and stir until they become plump.
- Pour this to the paruppu payasam.
Notes
- If you do not have coconut milk then use regular milk. But ensure you add only cooled jaggery syrup to the cooked moong dal payasam otherwise it will curdle.
- You can directly add the grated jaggery and skip making the syrup if your jaggery is clean.
- Traditionally only coconut milk is used to make paruppu payasam. First extract, second extract and third extracts of the fresh coconut are added at 2 different times.
- If you prefer to make it that way, then blend half cup fresh coconut with 1/4 cup water and extract the thick coconut milk. Set this aside & pour this towards the end, just before you turn off the stove. Boiling paruppu payasam any longer after adding the first extract may curdle the payasam. So avoid boiling.
- To make the second and third extracts, pour another half cup water to the same coconut and blend it. Extract the coconut milk and pour this just before adding the jaggery syrup.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hi mam,
Thanks for the recipe. Can I replace jaggery with brown sugar? If yes what is the process. Kindly advise.
Many thanks & Regards
Hi Deepika,
If you are using regular milk, turn off the stove. Wait for 5 mins and then add the brown sugar. Don’t cook further. If using coconut milk you can add the brown sugar directly during the last 2 mins of cooking
I totally love Swasthi’s recipes very much. I have used several of Swasthi’s recipes over the years. This is one of my go-to sites for recipes. Almost everything turns out perfect and greatly enjoyed by my family. The steps are described in very simple terms. The photos provided are also very useful to see how my final product ends up being relative to the goal. Thanks for sharing these awesome recipes. Keep them coming.
Hi Meena
That’s great to hear. So glad to know the recipes worked out well for you. Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
Yes sure will keep sharing.
🙂
Tried the recipe using normal milk and it turned out well.
Glad to know!
Thank you
Dear Swasthi,
I love your website and your recipes because it’s user friendly and close to authentic without being too laborious. You’ve done a great job of taking traditional recipes we all used to enjoy and bringing it into our modern lives. Kudos on the remarkable efforts you’ve put into this… a labor of love.
Hello Meera
Thank you so much! Happy to hear that!!
🙂
Hi Ma’am, I tried this recipe today, payasam was yummy, thank you for sharing this recipe.
Very tasty and easy recipe…I tried it today and it was awesome..Thank you….
Welcome Rupa
Hi Swasthi
Hw r u ? I tried this moong dhal kheer n it wz awesome . simple n easy for a beginner. One doubt is vn I roasted d dhal it turned a little brown but d taste didnt not change .
Thank u dear. Kp posting simple recipes for beginners.
Hi Pritha
Doing good. Thanks for asking. Glad to know! Yes it has to turn golden only then the aroma will come out.
🙂
Hi swasthi
Thanks a lot . Can I add more milk…
Just one suggestion, I need recipes for kids/ toddlers coz I ve two boys who r v fussy eater. Ur recipe is v simple to make n to b honest I don’t like cooking but after I started ur recipes I m loving to cook. Plz can u post for kids n mention kids session .. Plz . God bless u. Luv u coz . Take cre
Hi Pritha,
You are welcome. Yes you can add more milk.
You can check this link for kids recipes
Thanks much for the wishes.
Very easy recipe, yet authentic.
Thank you Tanya
HI, I Tried this payasam , but not in cooker or PAN.
Just in vessel by adding water and low flame.
After that is cooked, added jaggery directly to that.
After all procedure, it is not coming up good.
Feels, paruppu is settled at botto and milk and Jaggey up.
Hi Sindhu,
Which milk did you use? Coconut milk or regular milk?
Hi I want to make moong dal paysam but recipe is not clear as where to use ghee ? Ingredients there is ghee but in method it is said dry roast dal than wash and pressure cook .
Please explain when to use ghee . Thanks neeta
Hi Neeta,
You are welcome. I think you missed reading the last step where I fry the nuts and raisins in ghee and then pour to the payasam.
Your all recipes are easy to follow and delicious. Ingredients are also usually available at home. So need not to think more to pick any of them. Instantly can prepare. Thanks for sharing such recipes
Welcome Himadri
Thanks for the comment. Happy to know the recipes turn out good.
🙂
Good
Thank you
the dishes r superb and yummy toooooooooooo.i just luv to taste the moong dal and channa dalpayasam.
its amazing.special dishes for a special festival.
Thank You Jyothsna
Yummy kheer 🙂 And well explained with neat step wise pics 🙂
I love moong dal halwa and this sounds equally yum
looks sooo delicious…
delicious looking kheer …
this looks so yummy… please pass on that bowl…
That typical taste for Indian desserts in me is so strong. Between all the different types of sweets and desserts, I will jump up for payasam. <br /><br />Its been ages since I made payasam and thanks so much for the recipe.