Parippu Pradhaman (Green Gram Pudding)

I am being biased here but I couldn't resist adding a separate category for Kerala Sadya dishes. I am from Kerala, the southern most state of India and it boasts some of the best vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of the country. But this category will highlight only the main Nadan Sadya preparations. So let me taste you through the Kerala Nadan Sadya.

A "Sadya" is a Banquet or a feast prepared for a special event such as Birthday, Weddings, or festivities like Vishu and Onam. It is an authentic vegetarian meal comprising of atleast 12 to 24 dishes served on a plantain/banana leaf (see the above picture) and people eat together sitting cross - legged on the floor. I will try to share the recipes of some of the main dishes made for a Sadya without which any Sadya is incomplete. And please keep some coconuts handy. :)

I will start the Sadya with a dessert recipe called "Parippu Pradhaman". "Parippu" means dal/pulses and "Pradhaman" means pudding. Unlike other Kerala puddings or payasams, this dish is cooked with Jaggery (whole cane sugar) and coconut milk. The authentic cooking suggests you to shred 2 coconuts and grind it well to extract thick(first) and thin(second) milk from it to use in this preparation. But to make your work easier, you can use the ready made coconut milk.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal (green gram)
• 1 cup jaggery
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coconut pieces
• 1/4 cup of cashew nuts & raisins (put together)

Method:

1. In a kadai, fry the moong dal till light brown. Let it cool. (Do not add oil to fry, just dry roast it)
2. While the dal is cooling, melt the jaggery in a sauce pan with 1/4 cup of water to it.
3. Strain the jaggery with a sieve to remove any impurities. Keep aside.
4. Fill water in a cooker until the dal is fully immersed in water. Pressure cook it upto 2 whistles. Switch it off and let all the steam go off.
5. Open the cooker and slightly mash the dal with a spoon.
6. In a flat, thick bottomed vessel, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and add the mashed dal. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
7. Now add the melted jaggery to it and let it cook till it boils.
8. Now add the coconut milk to it and cook in a medium heat. Let it cook for another 5-10 minutes.
9. While it is getting cooked, in a small pan, saute the coconut pieces, cashews and raisins in 1 tbsp of ghee. Saute till they become light golden. Add them to the payasam which is getting cooked. Switch off the heat. Serve hot or cold.