A creamy and a delicious payasam/Kheer made with yellow mung lentils, jaggery and coconut milk is yummy to eat. Festivals and celebration feast are complete with a finishing touch of Payasam/Kheer, is a sacred prasad offered to God. A wide variety of payasam is prevalent in India and this is one among them. 

Here is the Healthy South Indian 'Kara Pongal' Recipe

Ingredients: 

1. Moong Dal - 1/2 cup

2. Jaggery - 3/4 cup

3. coconut milk - 1/2 cup thin, 1 cup thick

4. coconut oil/Ghee - 2 spoons

5. cashews - 10 to 15

6. Raisins - 1 spoon

7. Cardamom Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Recipe of Coconut Malai Peda to relish

Method of Preparation: 

The step by step procedure of preparation:

1. Rinse well ½ cup moong dal. Add moong dal and 1 cup water in a small vessel. Place this pan in a pressure cooker. Add 1.5 cups water in the pressure cooker and cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium flame or for 9 to 10 minutes. You can also cook the lentils directly in the cooker. This case add 1.5 cups water to the lentils and then pressure cook. The lentils can also be cooked in a pan.

2. Once the pressure settles, remove the lid and transfer the contents to a small pan or kadai. Mash it well with a spoon. 

3. Add 1/2 cup thin coconut milk in the smashed dal and mix well.

4. Add 3/4 cup jaggery in the liquidified dal or add strained jaggery water by boiling 1/4 cup water with 3/4 cup jaggery. Mix well. 

5. Keep the kadai on the stove and heat the mixture in a medium flame. 

6. Once the jaggery dissolves, add 1 cup thick cocnut milk. Mix well for a minute or two. Switch it off and keep aside. Do not overcook as the coconut milk can curdle. 

7. In a small pan or tadka pan, heat coconut oil or ghee and add 12 to 15 cashews. Fry till cashews turn golden. Then add 1 spoon raisins and then 1/2 spoon cardamom powder. 

8. Mix the plump and swelled raisins, cashews, cardamom powder and ghee/coconut oil in the payasam. 

9. Mix well and payasam is ready to serve. 

Sweet Pongal Recipe to offer Devi on this Navaratri