Moong Dal Khichdi is a traditional and classic temple-style dessert prepared using moong dal (green gram) and ghee (brown butter). This healthy sweet can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
Moong Dal Khichdi can be served as bhog during Navaratri, Makar sankranti. You can also serve this dish during special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and other get-togethers. A dessert to die for!
The month of Dhanurmas is considered a very special month for performing the Puja of Venkateshwara (Vishnu). During this month, temples in south India prepare this moong dal khichdi and offer it to god in the form of Naivedyam, which is then distributed as prasadam to devotees.
Some of the best temple-style khichdi recipes or prasadam
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About the recipe
Whenever I hear the name Moong Dal Khichdi, I remember my grandmother. This khichdi can be served in semi-solid form, as shown in the picture, or cook khichdi till it is almost dry, spread on a well-greased plate, then cut into squares and serve with ghee and banana. My granny would do the second method and distribute it to all the guests 🙂 This sweet is prepared only during special occasions and festivals, mainly during Dhanurmasa and served along with dosa (more details on this one coming up soon. Stay tuned 🙂 )
Back to khichdi, I have used split green gram with husk for the recipe. With so many health benefits (low-fat, high-fiber source of protein ) and its unique taste, plus my family's love for green gram, I always love to make recipes using this lentil. For the recipe below, you can use broken wheat, moong dal without husk, or split chickpeas (chana dal). You can even use the whole moong - the only extra step is that you will have to coarsely ground them in a blender after roasting. The taste of this dish will vary depending on the lentil used, but the steps to prepare remains the same.
Khichdi recipe ingredients
- ½ cup Rice
- ½ cup Moong dal split (husk / dehusked)
- 1 cup Jaggery (brown sugar)
- ½ cup Grated coconut (fresh/frozen/dry)
- 4 tablespoon Ghee (brown butter)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons Cashews chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons chopped raisins
How to prepare Moong Dal Khichdi
First, saute moong dal on medium flame till you get a nice aroma and the rawness goes off. Make sure you do not roast it too long, as it will take much longer to cook to soft consistency later. Pressure cook the lightly-roasted moong dal, along with rice and enough water, till they are soft and cooked through completely.
To this, add jaggery (brown sugar), grated coconut, ghee, and little water if required and simmer on medium to medium-low flame while frequently stirring to avoid it from sticking to the bottom. Continue doing this till the jaggery is incorporated well with rice and moong dal and the mixture starts to thicken. You can stop at this point. If you want it to serve into pieces, continue simmering till it dries up and forms a lump.
In another pan, roast dry fruits and nuts in ghee. Add this, along with cardamom powder, to the khichdi and mix till combined. Serve it hot/warm, or even cold, with ghee (brown butter) and slices of banana. I like to have it steaming hot with lots of ghee 🙂
If you want to cut them into squares, just grease the plate with ghee. Add the hot (almost-dry) khichdi and spread using a laddle. Once it cools down and sets completely, cut them into squares and serve. Doing this is totally optional.
Recipe card
Best Moong Dal Khichdi | How to make Sweet Khichdi (Pongal)
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ½ cup Rice
- ½ cup Moong dal split (husk / dehusked), check tips
- 1 cup Jaggery (brown sugar)
- ½ cup Grated coconut (fresh / frozen / dry)
- 4 tablespoon Ghee (brown butter)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon Cashews chopped
- 2 tablespoon Almonds chopped
- 2 tablespoon Raisins chopped
Instructions
Pressure cook dal and rice
- Saute moong dal on medium to medium-low flame in pressure cooker just till the rawness goes off. Make sure you do not cook it too long as this will increase the cooking time in the pressure cooker (next step).½ cup Moong dal split
- To this add rice and approximately 2 to 2 ½ cup of water and pressure cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 whistles or till its cooked through completely. The level of water should be just an inch above lentil and rice.½ cup Rice
- Let the pressure drop on its own.
Making of the best moong dal khichdi
- To this cooked dal-rice mixture, add jaggery, coconut, and water for desired consistency, 2 tablespoon of ghee and simmer on medium flame till the jaggery is incorporated and the mixture starts to thicken. Keep stirring it to avoid burning from the bottom.1 cup Jaggery (brown sugar), ½ cup Grated coconut, 4 tablespoon Ghee (brown butter)
- In another pan, add remaing 2 tablespoon of ghee and roast almonds and cashews. When it turns light golden in color, add raisins and switch off the flame.2 tablespoon Cashews chopped, 2 tablespoon Almonds chopped, 2 tablespoon Raisins chopped
- Add these roasted raisins and nuts along with cardamom powder to the khichdi and mix well.¼ to ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- Moong Dal khichdi is now ready. Serve hot with ghee and enjoy.
Notes
- Do not add too much water at once. Add as per desired consistency.
- Vary the amount of jaggery and coconut as per taste.
- You can use broken wheat, moong dal without husk or yellow lentil, or split chickpeas (chana dal) for the recipe below. You can even use the whole moong - the only extra step is that you will have to coarsely ground them in a blender after roasting. The taste of this dish will vary depending on the lentil used, but the steps to prepare remains the same.
- Check here for a savory authentic version of moong dal khichdi
Nutrition
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Kathleen
Great textures and flavors, this dessert sounds lovely. I am looking forward to trying this.
Biana
I like that this is a healthier dessert, with rice, dal, nuts and berries. Looks delicious!