Chana Dal Payasam| Kheer

Dessert

Payasam is a traditional Hindu cuisine from time immemorial and is mentioned in Ayurveda as well. The fact that it is part of the Bhaga Shastra makes this recipe at least 60,000 years old

 

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Introduction

About this Recipe

Payasam or Payasa (in South India), Payesh (in Bengali) or Kheer (in North India) has been part of Indian cuisine from time immemorial and is mentioned in Ayurveda as well. The fact that it is part of the Bhaga Shastra makes this recipe at least 60,000 years old. Kheer comes from the Sanskrit word ‘ksheer’ meaning milk, indicating that it is a main ingredient in this delicious dish. No meal in a Hindu festive spread is complete without this quintessential dessert.

Kheer, Payasa or Payasam is a type of sweet pudding, made by boiling milk, sugar, and rice, where rice can be substituted with one of the following: broken wheat, millet, tapioca, vermicelli, lentils or semolina. It is typically flavored with desiccated coconut, cardamom, saffron, dry fruits such as raisins, cashews, almonds, etc. It is typically served during a meal as a dessert.

Dal Payasam (paruppu payasam in Telugu language) is generally a mixture of lentil, rice, milk/coconut milk and jaggery, a formula that has endured for thousands of years. Payasam is a staple served in prasada meals to devotees and pilgrims in South Indian temples (kheer is the equivalent served in the langars of Sikh gurdwaras) and forms a part of the naivedyam offered in various temples (especially to Lord Siva) of South India. 

The ingredients and procedures explained here are taken from Bhaga Shastra directly, along with nutritional values and additional tips.

  • Preparation time: 15 minutes (incl. getting all ingredients ready)

  • Cooking time: 30 minutes

  • Total time: 45 minute

  • Servings: 8 servings

  • Course: Dessert, esp. in festival spreads and any celebrations

  • Cuisine: South Indian cuisine

Ingredients

  • Water ¾ padi 1200 ml
  • Chana dal 1/8 padi 187.5 gms
  • Milk ½ padi 800 ml
  • Jaggery 12 palam 420 gms
  • Coconut 2.5 palam 87.5 gms
  • Cardamom 1/8 palam 4.37 gms

Here we are presenting the original recipe as given in Bhaga Shastra along with the ingredient measurements also as given in the shastra. Bhaga Shastra gives ingredient measurements in measurement systems used in ancient times. Hence please use the conversion guidelines below to convert it into modern measurement systems. When giving this recipe, we are not rounding any measurements in the modern units, so as to avoid any deviations from the Bhaga Shastra. 

Bhaga Shastra Units Conversion

1 Padi – 1500 gms or 1.5 kgs approx.

1 Palam – 35 gms approx.

1 R.e (Rupee Equivalent) – 4.8 gms approx.

Cooking Method

  1. Take 2 litre capacity holding cooking pot and add 1.2 litre of water into it.
  2. Allow the water to boil. Add washed chana dal and close it with a lid.
  3. Allow the chanla dal to cook.
  4. Once chana dal gets cooked finely, add milk and stir well. Allow it to boil. 
  5. Meanwhile in another vessel add jaggery and little water and heat it into a syrup of one-string consistency. 
  6. Filter the syrup to remove residue of dirt particles.
  7. Add the jaggery syrup into the contents of the payasam and allow it to boil.
  8. Now, add the grated coconut and use the ladle to mash it nicely.
  9. When all the ingredients are cooked completely, switch off the flame and remove the pot from the stove.
  10. Add cardamom powder to the pot of payasam and stir well. 
  11. The chana dal payasam is ready to serve.

Note: Instead of jaggery you can use brown sugar/palm sugar (15 palam or 525gms)

Step by step instructions

1

 

Take 2 litre capacity cooking pot and add 1.2 litre of water into it.

2

Allow the water to boil. Add washed chana dal and close it with a lid.

 

3

Allow the chana dal to cook.

4

Once chana dal gets cooked well, add milk and stir well. Allow it to boil. 

5

Meanwhile in another vessel add jaggery and little water. 

6

Boil it into a one string consistency syrup.

7

Filter the syrup to remove residue of dirt particles.

8

Add the jaggery syrup into the contents of the payasam and allow it to boil.

9

Now, add the grated coconut and use the ladle to mash it nicely.

10

When all the ingredients are cooked completely, switch off the flame and remove the pot from the stove.

11

Add cardamom powder to the pot of payasam and stir well. 

12

The chana dal payasam is ready to serve.