Kadala Paruppu / Chana Dal Payasam

Kadala Paruppu / Chana Dal Payasam is a simple payasam recipe prepared during Onam (or any festival) using Channa dal, jaggery, and  milk.

What you need to make Kadalai Paruppu / Chana daal payasam:

• Chana dal - 1 cup soaked in water for 1 hr
• Sabudana/Sago - 1/4 cup (optional) soaked in water for 1 hr
• Jaggery or sugar - 1 cup
• Milk - 1 litre
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Cashews -10 no
• Raisins - 10 no
• Cardamom  - 4

The Preparation method:

• Pressure cook chana dal with milk and little water in a pressure-cooker. Pressure-cook the dal until one whistle, just to soften the chana dal. Do not mash the dal; take care not to over cook.
• Meanwhile in a thick bottomed, big vessel, take half cup of water. Add sugar or jaggery. Stir and cook, until the sugar/jaggery melts. When the syrup starts to thicken, add the soaked sabudana, and 2 cups of milk. Cook them on medium heat for at least 15 minutes, stirring in between.
• To this milk-sugar-sabudana syrup, add the contents of the pressure cooker - chana dal and the milky liquid it is cooked. Stir and check the sweetness level, add sugar if needed. S
• immer on medium heat, Uncovered, stirring occasionally for another 15 minutes or until it reaches consistency/thickness, you desire. Keep in mind payasam further thickens on cooling.
• When all this is happening, heat a spoonful of ghee in a small pan. Add and toast - first cashews, then golden raisins until light brown. Add these toasted things along with ghee, to the simmering payasam.
• Finally stir in powdered cardamom, simmer another 5 minutes. 
• Switch off the heat, cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for at least half an hour. 
• Delicious Kadala Paruppu / Chana Dal Payasam is ready to be served warm or cold.