Hesarubele Payasa or Mung dal Payasa

Hesarubele or Mung dal is well known for it's nutritive and tummy friendly property. There are many sweets/ desserts made of mung dal. Among those, payasa is the most common one. On any festive occasion or just to enjoy with family payasa is the most frequently prepared dessert in Mysore region. Most famously, it's enjoyed with Dal vada or Vade as we say in Kannada. The combination itself is famously called as Vade Payasa locally ( in Mysore,Mandya region).  As this is the favourite payasa of  Mr.R, I tend to prepare it more often. Unlike most of our desserts, it's not at all time consuming.. So let's see what we need for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Moong dal/ Hesarubele - 1/2 cup 
• Jaggery ( Powdered) - 1 cup
• Water - 2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Coconut ( grated/ frozen) - 1/4 cup 
• Cardamom pods - 2 to 3
• Cashews - 5  to 6 ( split)
• Raisins - few
• Ghee -  2 tbsps

Preparing Payasa :

• Dry roast the moong dal / hesarubele for a minute on low flame.
  
• Add 2 1/2 cups of water and allow it to cook.
• Take jaggery in a vessel, add water to it and heat it while stirring to dissolve completely. Then strain it through a seiver to make it free of impurities ( if any).
  
• In a mixer, add coconut and cardamom and grind until smooth.
• Add the ground coconut to the cooking mung dal and cook until the dal is split. Take care not to overcook or until it's mashed kind.
  
• Then add the dissolved jaggery and cook for a minute.
• Mix in the milk slowly and cook for 2 more minutes.
  
• While that cooks, in a small pan, add the ghee. When it's hot, add the cashews and fry until light brown. Then add in the raisins and fry. Add the ghee fried cashews and raisins to the Payasa and turn off the stove.
  
• So now piping hot Hesarubele payasa / Mung dal payasa is ready. It can be served as it is or along with it's best combination, Dal Vada. 
  
  
  

To make it much more quicker, pressure cook the roasted mung dal until 1 whistle is heard. Then add ground coconut, dissolved jaggery and cook for a few minutes. Then add the ghee fried cashews and raisins. Pressure cooking the mung dal saves time, but take care you don't overcook it. So this was the recipe of hesarubele payasa.. Do give it a try and I assure you the best outcome..

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