Sabudana Chana Dal Payasam (Kadalai Paruppu Payasam) is a flavorful and easy-to-make South Indian sweet or pudding recipe made with dal, sabudana, jaggery, and coconut milk. This sweet payasam is prepared during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, and Navratri, for naivedyam and prasadam, and during Fasting, upvas, and vrat days.

South Indian Payasam
Kheer or Payasam, made with chana dal and sabudana, is known by different names like Chana Dal Sabudana Kheer | Senaga Pappu Saggubiyyam Payasam | Kadalai Paruppu Javvarisi Paysam | Kadale Bele Sabakki Payasa | Godshe | Madgane. Shravan Month or Saavn, is the holiest month in the Hindu calendar, and all the Hindu festivals start this month. The year's second half is filled with festivals starting from Nagar Panchami, Onam, Vara Laxmi Vratam, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Teej Rakhi, Navratri to Diwali.
Chana Dal Kheer, also known as Madgane, Godhshe or Mangane, a popular and traditional recipe from Konkani cuisine Goan or Coastal Karnataka (Mangalore, Udupi region), is already on my blog. This payasa is made in two ways. One uses chana dal and rice, and the second method uses chana dal and sabudana (sago or tapioca). I like both ways of preparing chana dal kheer. If you do not like adding rice or sabudana, you can skip them and simply make chana dal kheer (lentil kheer). This also tastes equally good.
While you are here, don't miss out on Indian sweets for festival, Diwali sweets recipes, Diwali snacks recipes, Fasting, vrat and upvas recipes.
Ingredients
Chana Dal: Also known as split chickpeas, kadale bele, kadalai paruppu, senaga pappu is key ingredient used to make this payasam.
Sabudana: Also known as sabudana, tapioca, sago, sabakki, javvarisi, saggubiyyam is added for additional texture.
Coconut milk: Traditionally, South Indian payasam is made with coconut milk. You can use homemade or store-bought coconut milk.
Jaggery: Sweetener used to make kheer or payasa.
Cardamom powder: Flavor.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
- Soak chana dal and sabudana separately in water for 3 to 4 hours. Soaking reduces cooking time significantly.
- I generally pressure cook chana dal in 2 ½ cups water for 3 whistles. One on high flame, and two on medium flame. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker, add the sabudana, and cook until it comes to boil and the sabudana becomes soft.
- Add coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring. I prepare fresh coconut milk at home, but you can use fresh coconut milk extracted at home or store-bought coconut milk in this recipe. Finally, add jaggery and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the ghee in another pan. Add cashews, and when it turns golden brown add raisins and switch off the flame.
- Add cardamom powder and the roasted nuts to the kheer, mix, and switch off the flame.
Tips
- Kheer or Payasam thickens as it cools down. You can adjust it to the desired consistency with water or milk.
- Vary the amount of jaggery as per taste.
- You can vary the ratio of chana dal and sabudana as desired.
- Depending on the thickness of the coconut milk, the amount of water you may need may be more or less.
- Adding nuts is optional. You can substitute cashews with almonds (badam) or pistachios.
Instant pot sabudana chana dal kheer
- Soak chana dal and sabudana or sago separately in water for 3 to 4 hours. Soaking helps in faster cooking.
- Set the IP to saute mode. When hot, add ghee and cashews. When cashews turn golden in color, add raisins, saute, and transfer this to a plate.
- Add chana dal with 2 ½ cups of water. Close your IP with the lid, keep the vent in a sealed position, and set it for 10 minutes on manual mode.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and add sabudana and cook on saute mode for 2 to 3 minutes till it becomes soft.
- Add coconut milk and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Finally, add the jaggery and boil until the jaggery has melted.
- Now add cardamom powder, roasted cashews, and raisins.
- Serve and enjoy.
Serving suggestions
Kheer is traditionally served as a dessert in a multicourse meal. Kheer can be served hot, warm, or cold, but I generally prefer hot kheer when prepared using jaggery and coconut milk.
How to store chana dal sabudana kheer or payasam?
If you bring it to a boil and store it correctly, you can keep it at room temperature for 8 to 12 hrs. For longer shelf life, please bring it to room temperature and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, depending on the consistency of the kheer, add water and warm it up until heated.
Can I make kheer vegan?
To make this kheer vegan, skip roasting nuts in ghee. Instead, dry roast the nuts and add them to the kheer. This kheer is also dairy-free and gluten-free.
More Indian kheer recipes
Recipe card
Sabudana Chana Dal Payasam | Kadalai Paruppu Payasam
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ½ cup Chana Dal (Split chickpeas)
- ½ cup Sabudana (Tapioca pearls, Sago)
- 2 ½ to 3 cups Water
- 1 ½ cups Coconut milk
- ¾ to 1 cup Jaggery (or Brown sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
Instructions
How To Make Chana Dal Sabudana Kheer
- Soak chana dal and sabudana separately in water for 3 to 4 hours. Soaking reduces cooking time significantly.½ cup Chana Dal, ½ cup Sabudana
- I generally pressure cook chana dal in 2 ½ cups water for 3 whistles. One on high flame, and two on medium flame. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker, add the sabudana, and cook until it comes to boil and the sabudana becomes soft.2 ½ to 3 cups Water
- Add coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Keep stirring. I prepare fresh coconut milk at home. You can use fresh coconut milk extracted at home or store-bought coconut milk in this recipe. Finally, add jaggery and simmer for 5 minutes.1 ½ cups Coconut milk, ¾ to 1 cup Jaggery
- Meanwhile, heat ghee in another pan. Add cashews, and when it turns golden brown add raisins and switch off the flame.1 tablespoon Ghee, 1 tablespoon Cashews, 1 tablespoon Raisins
- Add cardamom powder and the roasted nuts from above to the kheer, mix, and switch off the flame.¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instant Pot Chana Dal Sabudana Payasam
- Soak chana dal and sabudana or sago separately in water for 3 to 4 hours. Soaking helps in faster cooking.
- Set the IP to saute mode. When hot, add ghee and cashews. When cashews turn golden in color, add raisins, saute and transfer this to a plate.
- Add chana dal with 2 ½ cups of water. Close your IP with the lid and keep the vent in sealed position and set it for 10 minutes on manual mode. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and add sabudana and cook on saute mode for 2 to 3 minutes till it becomes soft.
- Add coconut milk and cook for another 3 minutes.Finally, add the jaggery and boil until the jaggery has melted.Now add cardamom powder, roasted cashews, and raisins. Kheer or Payasam is ready.
Video
Notes
- Kheer or Payasam thickens as it cools down. You can adjust it to desired consistency with water or milk.
- Vary the amount of jaggery as per taste.
- You can vary the ratio of chana dal and sabudana as desired.
- Depending on the thickness of the coconut milk, the amount of water you may need may be more or less.
- Adding nuts is optional. You can substitute cashews with almonds (badam) or pistachios.
- The water I used to cook chana dal was sufficient for cooking sabudana too. Adjust accordingly. Add more water only if needed.
Nutrition
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Note: We originally posted this sabudana chana dal payasam in Aug 2021. It has now been modified in Sep 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
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