And you will not feel very guilty going for a second serving. The instant pot gadget made this payasam recipe very easy; this can be done in 30 minutes. Kheer recipes are generally challenging to get the right consistency. I agree to be sent email.
The chickpeas must be cooked enough to make them not too thick or too watery. With the Instant Pot, the biggest hurdle is already behind us. Try this chana dal kheer recipe for your next occasion, and you will enjoy it as much as I did…
Why this recipe works
This Chana dal payasam is made in an instant pot pressure cooker with jaggery and coconut milk. With the channa dal, every cup has a healthy serving of protein. The festival season is just around the corner, and we always need simple and delicious desserts to enjoy during this time. This chana dal payasam is dear to my heart because I have been eating this since childhood. My mom used to make this for Indian festivals like Diwali, chauthi, and Krishna Ashtami. Now that I am vegan, I found the exact taste and flavor of original authentic payasam that does not use any dairy ingredients. The main ingredients are very simple. You can garnish the dish with various dry fruits to your liking. This is one of the easiest payasam recipes you can prepare with or without the Instant Pot. This was inspired by my sabudana kheer recipe on this site and pairs well with this fantastic urad dal bonda recipe. Dessert and savory combination!
Ingredients
Chana dal: This lentil is also known as Bengal gram. Look for a sealed bag with no black pieces.Coconut milk: I used thick coconut milk from a can. The version you get in a carton is thin coconut milk and does not suit this recipe.Jaggery: I grated the jaggery to get the exact cup measurement.Cashew nuts: I used roasted cashew nuts from Costco. With the roasted version, I was able to skip the roasting part. You don’t need oil or vegan ghee if you buy fresh cashews. Dry roast them on a medium flame.Cardamom: Use whole cardamom or cardamom powder. A little cardamom goes a long way. You only need one pod for this recipe.
Check the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Soak the chana dal for 30 minutes to an hour. After that, drain the water completely. Place the washed and drained chana dal into the inner pot and add water. Close the lid and press pressure. Cook and cook for ten minutes. Once it’s cooked, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid after the pin drops, add grated jaggery to the cooked dal, and mix well. Press the saute button and continue to cook. Once the jaggery melts and starts to boil, add coconut milk and cardamom powder and mix well. Cook for a minute, and add roasted cashew nuts. Press ‘cancel’ to stop the cooking. You can drizzle a few teaspoons of vegan ghee or Kesar for aroma. Instant Pot Chana Dal is ready! Serve hot or cold!
Substitutions
Coconut milk - instead of coconut milk, you can use almond and oat milk for plant-based options.Jaggery - if you are out of jaggery, use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or regular cane sugar.Cashew nuts - Instead of cashew nuts, use almonds or raisins.
Equipment
I made this chana dal payasam in an instant pot 6-quart duo plus. You can use any instant pot to make this payasam.
Storage
The leftover chana dal payasam stays good for four days in the refrigerator. Just add a little water if it appears too thick. That’s because chana dal tends to absorb the moisture content over time.
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