Celebrate the new year with this Gudi Padwa special recipe

The auspicious new year starts today with Maharashtrians celebrating Gudi Padwa. To add to the sweetness of the occasion, food therap Dr Ria Banerjee Ankola shared a traditional Konkani dessert that is known for its iron-fibre-protein combination.

“Celebrate the new year with lots of happiness, love, and some healthy sweets. This is a favourite in my Konkani home,” said Dr Ria on the special Moong Dal Payasam or Kheer.

Why should you consider having it? 
*According to Dr Ria, it’s an iron-rich, fibre-rich and a protein-rich dessert.*Great for growing children, pregnant and lactating mothers.*Great for correcting your haemoglobin levels.
What to keep in mind?
– “Jaggery is an unprocessed form of sugar so a much healthier option to sugar but calorie and sugar content wise, the same as sugar so people who are strictly avoiding sugar, jaggery is not a replacement. It’s a great option for everyone who is fit and can have healthy forms of sugar and likes to have a healthy dessert,” she said.
– “But still as I say, every healthy recipe might not suit everyone so before you eat it, do make sure that each ingredient put in it suits you,” asserted Dr Ria.
How to make it?
Moong Dal Payasam
Ingredients
2tbsp + 1 tbsp – Ghee1 cup – Roasted yellow moong dal3 cups – Water400ml – Semi-thick coconut milkCrushed jaggery1tsp – Cardamom powder

Method
*Heat a pressure cooker and add two tablespoons ghee and one cup roasted yellow moong dal in it.*Boil the roasted moong dal in three cups of water in a pressure cooker.*Once cooked, open lid and stir well.*Put the open cooker back on flame and add 400 ml semi thick coconut milk.*Add crushed jaggery as per your taste (diabetics or people avoiding sugar can add stevia or monk fruit sweetener), and a teaspoon of elaichi powder.*Heat a wok and add 1 tablespoon desi ghee (coconut oil can also be added instead of ghee)*Once the ghee fumes, add chopped dry fruits of your choice and let it fry for 30 seconds.*Add this to the boiled moong dal, mix well, and bring it to boil.*As soon as it becomes thick, switch off the flame.*Let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate for two hours.
“It tastes great even while it’s warm,” said Dr Ria.
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