Pongal

Yellow Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Rice - 1 cup

Ginger grated - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 3

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsps

Peppercorns- 1 tbsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsps

Salt - 2 tsps or to taste

Dry roast moong dal in a pressure pan till a nice aroma comes off.

Add the rice and wash and rinse both.

Add 5 cups of water and cook for 1 whistle on pressure.

Meanwhile dry roast the cumin seeds and peppercorns and powder.

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee, add ginger and curry leaves stir.

Add hing, cumin seeds and pepper powder, stir.

Add one and a half cups of water to this mixture.

Let it boil add to the rice and dal mixture

Add salt mix well.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Parippu Pradhaman

This was the prize winning recipe at the Colorado Keralites, Onam function. I was surprised that I won the first prize. For the onam sadhya each member brings a dish for about 20 people, so 4 members might bring Aviyal for 20 people and so forth. I was asked to bring payasam as they did not have enough volunteeers signed up for this dish. When I took the payasam for the sadhya, that's when I realized that there was a payasam competition. I didn't think much of it because I never win anything, so it was a pleasant surprise to hear Vinod call out my name as the winner. Anyway I think I have blabbered enough here is the recipe. Onam by the way was in the beginning of Sept our community celebrated it today due to other commitments and time constraints.

The quantities are more as this was for a sadhya for about 20 people, you can halve it if cooking for a smaller group or triple it if need be.

Recipe:

Yellow moong dal - 2 cups

Jaggery - 2 lbs

Coconut milk canned- 2

Cardamon pods - 11 peeled and powdered

Ginger powder-1/4 tsp

Cashews chopped- 1 cup

Raisins - 1 cup

Fresh coconut slivered into small pieces - 1/4 cup

Ghee- 4 tbsps

Dry roast the moong dal in a pressure cooker pan, till a nice aroma comes out.

Wash and rinse the moong dal.

Add 5 cups water and cook the dal under pressure for 1 whistle.

Meanwhile cook Jaggery with 3 cups of water.

Add the cooked dal to this mixture and cook till well blended.

Add the coconut milk to the above mixture, and spice powders, cook on medium heat.

Keep stirring for about 10 minutes or so tll you see a low boil then remove from heat.

Heat ghee add coconut slices, and fry till golden, then fry the cashews and raisins separately add to payasam.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Paal Payasam

12 cups milk
½ cup rice
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp cashews unsalted
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp ghee (browned butter)

Cook milk in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat till milk is reduced to half its quantity, this takes almost an hour.
Add rice and cook till rice is tender, maybe another hour.
Add sugar and cardamom powder, and take off heat.
Heat the browned butter or ghee, add cashews and raisins fry till golden add to pudding.
Serve hot or at room temperature.