AVAL MOONG DAAL JAGGERY KHEER

This Payasam is a speciality from Tamil Nadu, South India. Usually aval/rice flakes/poha are used separately for different types of kheer. 

In this Kheer, both Moong Daal and rice flakes are cooked together in jaggery syrup and coconut milk. This is a mild flavoured Kheer. 

Aval Moong Daal Jaggery Payasam 

Ingredients:

• Rice flakes/ aval 1 cup 
• Moong daal 1/4 cup 
• Jaggery syrup 1/2 cup 
• Coconut milk 1/2 cup 
• Ghee, fried coconut pieces, cashew nuts & raisins
• Cardamom & dried ginger - powdered 1/2 tsp each 

Method of preparation:

1. Wash moong-daal well, gently roast it in little ghee and then cook in a pressure cooker with adequate water. 
2. Meanwhile, in a pan roast the coconut pieces, raisins and cashew nuts in ghee. Set it aside and roast the rice flakes till it is lightly fragrant. 
3. Melt the solid jaggery with little water and drain out impurities, keep the syrup aside. 
4. Mash the cooked moong-daal well and add the roasted rice flakes and jaggery syrup to it. Add little water if required to adjust the consistency. Stir well and add powdered cardamom and dried ginger to the mix. 
5. When this mix thickens and the rice flakes are cooked, stir in the coconut milk and remove from oven after a couple of minutes. 
6. Garnish with roasted raisins, coconut pieces and nuts. 

Serve warm, this Payasam thickens on settling.