Lentils kheer/Hesaru bele payasa

Any meal is incomplete without a good dessert! This recipe is loaded with health, with all the richness of powdered split green gram and poppy seeds. Jaggery gives that humble touch to the dish and uplifts the flavors of fried and powdered lentils. Garnish of cashews, pistachios brings additional flavor. Finishing touch is given by dropping few drops of ghee/Clarified butter to relish that magical aroma when you put in your mouth. Ah what more can anyone ask for!

    This rich delicacy comes to rescue when you have urge for desserts, it gets done in 15 minutes. This is a prepare- in- advance recipe. Serve hot with drops of ghee or chilled with nuts topping.

Ingredients

3 tbsp moong dal/green gram lentils

1 tsp poppy seeds

3 tbsp grated coconut

½ cup grated jaggery(about 100gm)

Cashews and almonds for garnish

2 tsp ghee/clarified butter

Directions:

Step 1: Dry roast lentils and poppy seeds in low heat for about 1 minute or until slight change in color. Do not burn, which tastes awful!

Step 2: Powder the roasted ingredients in a mixer/grinder. Add coconut and ½ cup of water to it blend it to smooth paste and turn off. Boil 2 cups water with jaggery and filter the syrup to ensure purity and set aside.

Step 3: In a cooking pan heat 1 tsp of ghee and fry the nuts and transfer to plate. In the same pan mix the paste, syrup, add 2 cups water and boil in medium low heat for thick consistency kheer and turn off. Boiling doesn’t take more than 5 minutes. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom.  Increase or lessen the quantity of water based on desired consistency. If it gets too thick milk can be added to dilute to required consistency.

Step 4: Transfer to the serving bowl, garnish with fried cashews and drops of ghee. Enjoy!