Kadala Parippu Pradhaman / Kerala Style Bengal Gram Pudding with Coconut Milk and Jaggery

 Pradhaman is a delectable Kerala style sweet pudding with coconut milk and jaggery. Here Kadala parippu which means split Bengal Gram / chana dal is used to make this dessert, hence the name. Kadala Parippu Pradhaman is a traditional dish and a part of Onam Sadhya , a keralite vegetarian feast. This creamy, gluten-free, protein-rich payasam can be made on festivals and special occasions. Coconut milk imparts a lovely texture and taste to the pradhaman and it compliments very well with the sweetness of the jaggery. Cardamom powder and dry ginger powder are used to flavor the dish. The recipe is simple and easy to follow.

I have used home-made coconut milk to make this pradhaman. You may use store bought one instead. The color of the dish is brown in color and it depends upon the color of jaggery used. The dish is fuss-free as it does not require any exact jaggery syrup consistency to look for. A delectable sweet dish that uses coconut milk in place of dairy milk. So lets get started.

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Bengal Gram / chana dal / Kadala Parippu , washed and soaked in water for 1 hour.
• 1 1/4 cup grated or crushed Jaggery
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• 1/4 cup thick coconut milk
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 4-5 cashew-nuts
• 2 tablespoon dry coconut slices
• 1/4 teaspoon dry ginger powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

1. Transfer the soaked chana dal with 1 cup water in a cooker and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and then simmer for about 5 minutes. We are looking for the dal which is soft and cooked well.       

 2. Allow the cooked lentil to cool a bit and then puree it coarsely using a blender. 

3. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan. Add the pureed chana dal to it and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

                            

4. Meanwhile add 1 tablespoon water to jaggery powder in a sauce pan and allow it to melt. Cook the jaggery syrup until it boils and bubbly.

                           

5. Add the jaggery syrup to the dal mixture and mix well. Cook it for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add ginger powder and cardamom powder and give a quick stir.

6. Now stir in the coconut milk and cook further for 5 minutes or until the pradhaman thickens.

7. Next add the thick coconut milk / coconut cream. Cook for just 2 minutes and put off the flame.

8. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in a tadka pan and add coconut slices and cashew-nut to it. Fry until they turn golden brown. Put off the flame and pour this over the cooked pradhaman.

9. Serve the pradhaman warm and enjoy the delectable dessert with your loved ones.

Recipe Notes:

• I have used homemade coconut milk in this recipe. You may used store bought coconut milk can if you wish.
•  To make the coconut milk at home, add 1 cup hot water to 1 1/2 cup of scrapped fresh coconut in a grinder jar and pulse. Extract the thick milk by straining the mixture through a soup strainer. Now add about 2 cup hot water to the coconut mixture and pulse again. Strain to get the milk.  The obtained liquid is the thin coconut milk.
• The original recipe used cumin powder as well in this pradhaman. I have not used it.
• Traditionally ghee is used in making this dessert, vegan may substitute ghee with coconut oil.
• Do not cook the pradhaman for a long time after adding the thick coconut milk.
• I have referred the recipe from here. 
• I have halved the original recipe, you may double the ingredients as per your requirement.
• I have used powdered jaggery which is called as shakkar in North India and is easily available. You may crush the jaggery that is available with you to make the pradhaman.
• The color of the pradhaman depends on the color of the jaggery used.
• The sweetness of the dish can be adjusted by the amount of jaggery used in the recipe.
• The pradhaman thickens further on cooling so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• The same recipe can be followed with mung dal for a mung dal paradhaman.

Submitting the recipe to the #186 the #FoodieMondayBlogHop with #PlantbasedMilk as the theme for the week.I chose to cook with coconut milk for the theme and made this delectable Kadala Parippu Pradhaman using it. The theme was suggested by Archana Poddar di who blogs at The Mad Scientists Kitchen. Check out her lovely space where she shares her healthy culinary experiments with us. I have bookmarked many goan recipes from her blog to try out soon. I have tried Sweet Potato Bruschetta from her blog and it turned out super hit at my place. 

                         

Related Posts from this blog:

• Kerala Style Avial

                                

• Narali Bhaat / Sweet Coconut Rice

                                

• Homemade Soy Milk

                           

• Vegetarian Nasi Lemak