Photo: Sumit Surai · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Kadala Parippu Payasam

Chana dal (Bengal gram) slow-cooked with jaggery and coconut milk — denser and earthier than moong dal payasam, with a hearty legume flavour that pairs beautifully with dark Kerala jaggery.

🧺 Ingredients

• Chana dal (Bengal gram, split): 200 g
• Jaggery (dark): 280 g
• Thick coconut milk: 350 ml
• Thin coconut milk: 500 ml
• Ghee: 4 tbsp (60 ml)
• Coconut pieces (sliced thin): 40 g
• Cashew nuts: 25 g
• Cardamom: 5 pods (crushed)
• Dry ginger powder: ¼ tsp
• Water: 600 ml
• Keep some whole dal pieces for textural contrast

👩‍🍳 How to make Kadala Parippu Payasam

1. Soak 200 g chana dal in water for 30 minutes.
2. Drain.
3. Pressure cook with 600 ml fresh water for 5 whistles over high heat.
4. The dal should be fully soft but not mushy — individual grains visible but mashable.
5. Drain excess water.
6. Dissolve 280 g jaggery in 100 ml water over medium heat.
7. Strain through sieve.
8. Add cooked dal to jaggery syrup in a heavy pan over medium heat.
9. Partially mash the dal against the pan walls while stirring — leave about half the dal as whole pieces for texture.
10. Cook 12–15 minutes until thickened.
11. Pour thin coconut milk over medium-low heat.
12. Stir and cook 6 minutes.
13. Reduce to low.
14. Add thick coconut milk, cardamom, dry ginger.
15. Stir 3–4 minutes.
16. Remove from heat.
17. Fry coconut pieces in ghee over medium heat until golden brown.
18. Add cashews until light gold.
19. Pour over payasam.

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