It is not very often that I feature dessert recipes on Healthy Indian. There are several reasons for this. For one, desserts are not something one should be eating daily. They are a ‘special occasion’ treat, to be eaten in moderate quantities. For another, desserts that are prepared at home with minimal ingredients are better than store-bought desserts. You can control the amount of sugar (or sugar substitute) you use.

I’ve found that by eating fresh fruits regularly and restricting desserts, one doesn’t need too many desserts to satisfy one’s sugar craving. Even a juicy piece of fruit or a small piece of dark chocolate sends satiety messages to the brain. I urge you to try this tactic and see if that helps. If you want your kids to eat a variety of fruits instead of sugary snacks, read these Fruit Parade rhymes to them.

Is Sugar the Villain?

As you may already know, sugar has become the most maligned of the main components of the American diet. It is cited for evils such as distracting youngsters from more nutritious foodstuffs. It is blamed for enhancing obesity, ruining teeth and causing diabetes and heart disease. Do you remember the news scoop about the sugar industry laying the blame on the salt industry for America’s obesity problem?

Sugar, like starch, is a carbohydrate. The many type of sugars includes sucrose (table sugar refined from sugarcane or beets), lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), glucose (blood sugar), dextrose, maltose and galactose.

Seventy percent of the sugar in today’s American diet is “hidden” in processed foods. Check the labels of the packaged soups, cereals, salad dressings, soft drinks, ketchup, sauces, peanut butter, dessert mixes and what-have‐you in your pantry and see how many list sugar (or corn syrup) as one of the ingredients.

Hesarubele Payasa

But there’s good news – just because we are eating healthy doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to desserts. You can still satisfy your sweet tooth using healthy ingredients like nuts/seeds, dried fruit, avocado, fresh fruit, whole grains, nut butters and even lentils. I Promise.

We, at Healthy Indian, do not believe in denying the body of desserts. Especially desserts that have very few ingredients, and are homemade. More importantly, we feature desserts that do not yell SUGAR!! I normally use the 80:20 Rule. Eat whole, real foods 80% of the time and cheat 20% of the time. Keep Life in balance.

So, here’s to healthy desserts! Finish off your nutritious dinner with a decadent treat that will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth. This Hesarubele Payasa is a traditional South Indian dessert. I make it with mung dal, coconut milk, jaggery, cardamom, cashews, raisins and aromatic saffron. I love that it is simple to make, tastes divine, has no chemicals, and to top it off, even your kids will love it!

Healthy Desserts

Hesarubele Payasa

If you love coconut and jaggery recipes, check out Gasagase Payasa, Akki-Haalu Payasa (Rice Kheer) and Mango Rasayana. Do you want to try yet another rice-mung recipe? Then Sweet Huggi may be for you. My North Indian favorite is this Creamy Instant Pot Gajar (Carrot) Halwa.

Are you craving for an international spread or love sugar free desserts? Be sure to check out our party-pleasers:

• Vegan Walnut-Goji Berry Fudge
• Zucchini Banana Bread
• Chia Seed Pudding
• Date-Almond Boats
• Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa - A Lip-smacking Dessert!

Finish off your nutritious dinner with a decadent treat that will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth. This payasa is a traditional South Indian dessert and is made with mung dal, coconut milk, jaggery, cardamon, cashews, raisins and aromatic saffron. It is simple to make, tastes divine, has no chemicals, and to top it off, even your kids will love it!

Course Dessert, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Indian, Karnataka

Keyword Healthy Dessert, healthy sweets, jaggery, kheer, payasa, payasam, sweet tooth

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 322kcal

Equipment

• Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Split Mung
• 2 Cups Coconut Milk - Full Fat. More, if you want a watery consistency
• 6 Tablespoons Jaggery - Grated. More, if you want it sweeter
• 1 Tablespoon Cashew nuts - Raw
• 1/4 Teaspoon Saffron - Strands
• 1 Tablespoon Raisins
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom - Freshly powdered
• 1 Teaspoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee! Use non-dairy oil if vegan

Instructions

• On a medium flame, dry roast the mung until the raw smells goes away, but before it starts to brown. Don't skip the roasting of mung dal. Roasting makes it very aromatic.
  
• Wash mung dal, place in container in the Instant Pot (IP) with just enough water to cover the dal. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Wait for pressure to release. If you are doing this on a cook-top, cover the dal with enough water and cook on medium flame, stirring frequently, until it is fully cooked. The dal should be holding its shape.
  
• Switch IP to Sauté mode. To the cooked dal, add coconut milk, jaggery (see notes on jaggery), cardamom powder, saffron strands (save a few strands for garnish) and cook until the contents come to a gentle boil. Keep stirring gently, so the bottom doesn't burn. Follow the same procedure for cooktop on medium-low flame. Vary the jaggery based on how sweet you want it; vary the coconut milk depending on your preference for consistency.
  
• Meanwhile on a low flame, roast cashew nuts and raisins in ghee until the cashews are browned and the raisins become plump.
  
• Add cashew nuts and raisins to the payasa and mix well. Decorate with the remaining saffron strands. Serve hot, warm or cold.
  

Notes

Note on Jaggery: Jaggery is extracted from sugarcane. It is unrefined sugar and known as Bella in Kannada; it is made without filtering molasses. Traditionally, jaggery was made in rural areas and there tends to be small amounts of impurities in them, but nowadays there are industrial plants that make jaggery out of sugarcane and the produce is reasonably clean. If in doubt, add 1 cup water to 2 cups jaggery, and let this concoction slowly melt over a low flame. Stir frequently. You can filter this liquid using a sieve or a cheese cloth to make sure there is no residue.

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa - A Lip-smacking Dessert!

Amount per Serving

Calories

322

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

18

g

28

%

Cholesterol

 

2

mg

1

%

Sodium

 

18

mg

1

%

Potassium

 

632

mg

18

%

Carbohydrates

 

34

g

11

%

Fiber

 

6

g

25

%

Sugar

 

12

g

13

%

Protein

 

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

 

50

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

2.5

mg

3

%

Calcium

 

70

mg

7

%

Iron

 

5

mg

28

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.