SENAGAPAPPU PAYASAM

I love festivals, planning the menu for a festive feast and especially look forward to try sweet treats that I’m yet to blog. Senagapappu Payasam is a traditional South Indian sweet dish that I prepared for our Ugadi festive meal. This lentil based sweet dish incorporates the same ingredients that you’d find in a regular Payasam – jaggery, milk or coconut milk and cardamom powder. The star ingredient in today’s recipe is chana dal (Bengal gram) along with sago.

Senaga Pappu Bellam Payasam Recipe

Cooking Time: 45 mts

Cuisine: Andhra

Serves 5-6 persons

.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chana dal/bengal gram, soak in water for 1/2 hr, pressure cook upto 2 whistles (soft)
3/4 cup sago/saggubiyyam/sabudana, cook in 2 cups water till soft
1 cup grated jaggery, soak in 1 cup strained chana dal water for 10 mts
2 cups low fat milk
1/2 tsp cardamom pwd
8-10 cashew nuts
few raisins
1/2 tbsp ghee

1 Heat a pan, add ghee and toast the cashew nuts and raisins till golden brown. Remove from pan, keep aside.
2 In a heavy bottomed vessel, add the jaggery water and let it cook for 7-8 mts on low flame.
3 Add the cooked chana dal and sago along with left over liquid and let it slowly simmer for 6-7 mts, stirring it once in a while.
4 Turn off heat. Add the low fat milk and combine. On low flame, allow the payasam to simmer for 4-5 mts. Add the cardamom pwd, toasted cashews and raisins. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled. It tastes good both warm and chilled.