Pesara pappu Payasam 

Pesarapappu payasam is one of the payasams made frequently for Naivedyam. Moong dal is very easily digestible and is fed to kids of all ages. Specially in hot summers, it is supposed to be a very good coolant and also a very good source of protein.

Ingredients:

Moong Dal / Pesarapappu 1 cup

Milk 4 cups

Jaggery 3/4 cup

 Badam Powder 1 Tbsp

Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Ghee 1 tsp

Cashews and Raisins for Garnish as required

Method:

Roast moong dal(pesarapappu) in 1/2 tsp of ghee until golden brown. Also fry some cashews and raisins in ghee and keep them aside. Pressure cook moong dal in water / milk or a combination of milk and water. After the moong dal is cooked well mash it either in a blender or with the back of a strong ladle. (We prefer it as is) In a sauce pan, boil milk and add grated jaggery and the boiled moong dal. Bring it to a boil and add MTR Badam powder, cardamom powder. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the kheer gets a creamy texture. Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins and serve hot or cold. Note - If the jaggery is hard to grate, add 2 tsp of water to the jaggery blocks and microwave it for a couple min (depending on the power of the microwave). It would liquify and therefore easy to pour in the kheer. Also fresh badams(Almond) can be powdered and used instead of the  Badam powder.