Moong Dal Payasam (Moong dal pudding)

                                                         (pic courtesy: Sri Krishna )
Happy Krishna Janmashtami to all my readers :) So how did you celebrate darling Sri Krishna's Birthday ?
Though I didn't have plans to make this dessert, by evening, my mind changed and I decided to go for it. I was surprised, at how easily it could be made and how easily it got over too :)) .......I am planning to make again sometime. I am not a big fan of payasam, so rarely make it, but after this attempt, I am motivated to make more varieties, especially because I found they are more nutritious and healthier than cakes/cookies. And I was craving for something sweet which doesn't have gluten or dairy predominantly as its ingredients as I have developed a slight intolerance towards these from past few months. I didn't use sugar in this dessert, instead I used Jaggery. I used coconut milk instead of regular milk. Since Jaggery available in the Indian stores here are cleaner than most of  the ones in India, the task to skim away the dirt while melting the Jaggery can be omitted. The cooking time mainly was that of the Moong dal which fairly cooks fast, maybe 30-40 minutes or less (didn't note the time accurately). The rest of the process can be completed in less than 20 minutes. So here goes the recipe:

 Ingredients: 2 cups

•  Yellow Moong Dal : 1 cup
• Water to cook dal : 2.5 cups - 3 cups
•  Jaggery (I used the light brown color jaggery that comes in cubes) : around 4 to 5 cubes
• Water to melt jaggery : 1/2 cup
•  Coconut milk (I used the canned coconut milk) : 1 - 1.5 cups
•  Raisins lightly blanched in 1 tablespoon butter/ghee (just melt butter/ghee in a saute pan and add the raisins and in low fire, just keep stirring with a spoon until all the raisins have plumped up) : 1/2 cup
•  Garnish : powdered cardomom, grated nutmeg : 1/2 teaspoon each

Method:

•  Cook the Moong dal in water until it reaches a very mashable state (if you like the pudding to have some moong dal bits to bite, then dont cook until its totally in the pureed stage. I like them very much cooked and mashable)
• Melt the jaggery in the water and add it to the Moong dal which is on medium low fire, keep stirring until everything is well combined.
• Now add the coconut milk and reduce fire to low and keep stirring.
•  Add raisins, and the garnish. Stir to combine.
•  Serve hot/chilled 

PS: I had mine with pappad (popadum) as that's one traditional way of having payasam which is called 'Payasam Pappadam' :)

Happy Labor Day weekend !

Luv
Roopa