Recipe - Hesaru Bele Paayasa(Split Mung Beans Kheer)

Description:Kheer or paayasa as we call it is one of the many items that are prepared during festivals, weddings and many other occasions. Kheer can be prepared from many items like rice, different lentils like mung beans (Hesaru bele), Tuvar beans (also called as thogari bele or split Congo pea or split pigeon bean), vermicelli (shavige or semia ), rave (semolina) etc.

Hesaru bele paayasa is a sweet kheer that is made out of mung beans that have been skinned and split so that they are flat and yellow. They are easily available is all the Indian stores. It is labeled as mung Daal. I haven’t tried to look for it in other stores. I am however sure that they are easily available.

Hesaru bele is supposed to be very good for health. You can drink it as a kheer or as a side dish with dishes like Idli, chapatti, Poori etc.

Preparation Time : 5 minutes.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1. kobbari turi (Grated Coconut): a little. It is optional
2. hesaru bELe (Mung Beans): 50 grams
3. haalu (Milk): about half liter (about 40 Ounce).
4. thuppa (Ghee): 2 tablespoons
5. bella (Brown Sugar/ Sugar / Jaggery): about 30 grams or as per taste
6. oNa draakshi (raisins): a little
7. gOdambi (Cashew Nuts): a little
8. Elakki pudi (Cardamom Powder): 1 tablespoons.

How to Prepare:
1.Fry the mung beans in ghee till they are slightly golden brown in colour.
2.Cook these mung beans in a pressure cooker.
3. Take the cooked mung beans in a vessel or pan.
4. Add milk, brown sugar, grated coconut and powdered cardamom to the beans and boil the mixture for about 10 minutes.
5. Fry raisins and cashew nuts in ghee and add it to the above mixture.
6. Boil the kheer for another 10 minutes.
7. It is now ready to eat.

Note: If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can boil the beans in water and milk till they are nicely cooked and soft. This will take about 45 minutes or longer.

Servings: 2 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!