Cherupayar Parippu Payasam / Split Moong Dal Kheer - Celebrating over 1000 likes on FB

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With Onam coming up, I thought it apt to celebrate with an authentic Kerala dessert. A dessert / payasam with Split Moong Dal / Split Green Gram (skinless) / Cherupayar Parippu as we call in Malayalam. It is also called as yellow split lentils in english.It is part of the Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal (Onam Feast Platter). The lentils are cooked in freshly extracted coconut milk along with jaggery. Jaggery is the unrefined brown sugar made from palm sap. It is one of the main ingredients in making payasams in Kerala Cuisine. The taste of the payasam is enhanced with the addition of cardamom, ghee, nuts and raisins.

Cherupayar Parippu Payasam / Split Moong Dal Kheer
( Printable Recipe)

INGREDIENTS


Yellow Split Lentils / Split Moong Dal / Cherupayar Parippu - 1 cup
Jaggery - 300g
Water -
                      2 cups        ( to cook dal)
                      1/4 cup      ( to melt jaggery)
                      3/4 cup      (to extract first coconut milk)
                      1 1/2 cups  ( to extract second coconut Milk)
                   
Grated Coconut - 2 cups tightly packed
Coconut Milk (First Extract) - 1 cup
Coconut Milk (Second Extract) -2 cups                    
Cardamom - 1/4 tsp
Cashew nuts - 5 split
Kismis/ raisins - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Coconut Pieces - 2 tbsp
Salt - a pinch

METHOD
Heat a wide non stick kadai / wok.
Remove 2 tbsp split dal from the 1 cup. Keep aside and roast the remaining on high flame for 2 minutes or until the dal turns slightly brownish and breaks on biting.
Transfer both the dals to a bowl and wash in water. Strain the water.
Cook the dal in a pressure cooker adding 2 cups water until you hear 2 cooker whistles.
Once the pressure is gone check if it is cooked well.
Meanwhile in a vessel add in the jaggery along with 1/4 cup water and let it melt on low flame. Stir in between.
Extract the coconut milk.
In the same non stick kadai / wok add in the dal, second extract coconut milk and filtered jaggery. Let cook on medium flame. Keep stirring continually for approx 10 minutes.
Let simmer till the mixture becomes thick and excess water has evaporated.
Add in the cardamom powder.
Pour in the first extract. Stir well. Switch off the flame.
In a seasoning pan, heat the ghee. Fry the coconut pieces till light brown on medium flame. Remove with slotted spoon and add it to the payasam.
Lower flame to low. Fry the cashew nuts in the same ghee. Remove once golden. Add it to the payasam.
Switch off the flame and fry the kismis.
Stir well and serve hot or cold.


Cooking tips:
A small portion of the lentil is removed to give that crunchy taste.
Make sure the lentils or parippu is well cooked before adding jaggery. 
I used light brown jaggery. You can use 1/2 dark and 1/2 light jaggery.
If you don't like payasams a little less sweet add only 250g.
To powder the cardamom add a tsp of sugar in a mixer along with the cardamom.
The final outcome will depend on the freshness of coconut milk, quality of jaggery and lentils.