pasi-payaru-upma-recipe - 1

This is a very unique recipe for upma made entirely with moong dal. It’s very healthy and very easy to make. This is popular around the Coimbatore region and is usually made for breakfast. Here is how to do Pasi Payaru Upma. We use split green gram dal with the green skin still on. This works well for the recipe.

Wash and soak the moong dal in water for 4-5 hours. After soaking, scrub the lentils well between fingers. Wash in running water and drain several times. Drain between your fingers to get rid of the green skin. Repeat the procedure until most of the green skin from the dal has been removed. Some of the skin might still be attached. That’s fine. Set aside.

pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-wash - 2

Add around 1/2 cup of water and grind the dal to a smooth paste. Add the salt and mix well.

pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-grind - 3

Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the rounds with the batter. Put it inside the idly vessel, cover the vessel, and let it steam for 15-20 minutes. After around 15 minutes, insert a spoon into the idlis. It should come clean. If it comes clean, the moong dal idlis are done. Remove from heat. Scoop the idlis out of the idli mold onto a plate. Let it cool.

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Shred the moong dal idlis using a vegetable shredder. It should resemble shredded cheese. Cooled idlis are easy to shred. You can also use a food processor to shred. Set aside.

pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-shred - 5

Now we will make upma. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add in the finely chopped ginger, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add in the chopped onions and green chillies. Using a lot of onions in this dish makes the upma very tasty. Fry till the onions are soft. Add in a little salt to taste.

pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-tempering - 6

Add in the shredded dal and coriander leaves and mix well to combine. You can also add little fresh shredded coconut at this stage to make it a little more rich. Switch off the flame and serve warm with coconut chutney .

pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-garnish - 7 pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-1-3 - 8

For the Moong dal Idlis

  • 1 Cup ( 250 ml) Green Moong Dal – Split
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup water for grinding
  • 1 teaspoon oil for coating idli plates

For Tempering

  • 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 3/4 cup onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 green chillies, chopped
  • 3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut (optional)
  1. Wash and soak the moong dal in water for 4-5 hours. After soaking, scrub the lentils well between fingers. Wash in running water and drain several times. Drain between your fingers to get rid of the green skin. Set aside.
  2. Add around 1/2 cup of water and grind the dal to a smooth paste. Add the salt and mix well.
  3. Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the rounds with the batter. Put it inside the idly vessel , cover the vessel, and let it steam for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop the idlis out of the idli mold onto a plate.
  4. Shred the moong dal idlis using a vegetable shredder. Set aside.
  5. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add in the finely chopped ginger, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add in the chopped onions and green chillies. Using a lot of onions in this dish makes the upma very tasty. Fry till the onions are soft. Add in a little salt to taste.
  6. Add in the shredded dal and coriander leaves and mix well to combine. Switch off the flame and serve warm with coconut chutney.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu
moong-dal-upma - 9 pasi-payaru-upma-recipe-1-3 - 10

For the Moong dal Idlis

  • 1 Cup ( 250 ml) Green Moong Dal – Split
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup water for grinding
  • 1 teaspoon oil for coating idli plates

For Tempering

  • 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 3/4 cup onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 green chillies, chopped
  • 3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut (optional)
  1. Wash and soak the moong dal in water for 4-5 hours. After soaking, scrub the lentils well between fingers. Wash in running water and drain several times. Drain between your fingers to get rid of the green skin. Set aside.
  2. Add around 1/2 cup of water and grind the dal to a smooth paste. Add the salt and mix well.
  3. Put some water in an idly vessel and put it on medium flame. Oil the idli plate and gently fill the rounds with the batter. Put it inside the idly vessel , cover the vessel, and let it steam for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop the idlis out of the idli mold onto a plate.
  4. Shred the moong dal idlis using a vegetable shredder. Set aside.
  5. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add in the finely chopped ginger, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add in the chopped onions and green chillies. Using a lot of onions in this dish makes the upma very tasty. Fry till the onions are soft. Add in a little salt to taste.
  6. Add in the shredded dal and coriander leaves and mix well to combine. Switch off the flame and serve warm with coconut chutney.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/pasi-payaru-upma/

tomato-salna-for-idli-recipe - 11 hongkong - 12

Hello everyone. Its been so quiet here for sometime. We just moved to Hong Kong a couple of weeks back and that’s what has kept me away from Kannamma Cooks. We are still settling down and things should become normal in a couple of weeks time. Its been super cold here and foggy most of the time. I have been cooking minimally. Our son starts school next month. So its been boring for him with all the shopping and tenancy agreements that he is forced to do with me. But he likes it so far or so he says. Except for the long days pushing shopping trolleys with me. I made idli batter successfully in this chilly weather here. It was so good to have idlis at home after almost three weeks. I will share the technique for fermenting idli batter in cold weather in the coming weeks. Hope life comes to regulars soon. Here is a simple recipe. Its a recipe for Easy Tomato Salna that goes well with idli or dosa.

The thing about this salna is that its cooked in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles. The longer the better. Its uncommon to cook salna for 4-5 whistles but that does the trick as everything gets cooked so well. Its perfect for dunking idlis in. Here is how to do it.

Video of Tomato Salna

Heat Indian sesame oil or vegetable oil in a pan until hot. Add in the fennel seeds and let it crackle. Add in the chopped red onion and fry till the onions are soft. About 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Run three – four big tomatoes in a mixie/blender with half a cup of water until coarsely pureed. Add it to the pan.

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Run fresh shredded coconut in a blender with a cup of water until it becomes a fine paste. Add it to the pan. Add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well to combine. The salna at this stage should be watery. Add little more water if you feel that the salna is thick. Add in a teaspoon of sugar. The little sugar cuts the tartness from the tomatoes and makes it more flavorful. Update Note: Over the years, I have found that adding the turmeric and red chilli powder just after sautéing the onions, roasting the powders for a few seconds, then adding the tomatoes gives a bright color to the salna.

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Cover the pressure pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame. Switch off the heat after the said whistles and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally.

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Open the pan and check for seasoning. Add coriander leaves for garnish and serve hot with idlis.

tomato-salna-for-idli - 16 tomato-salna-for-idli - 17
  • 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 2 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1.5 cups water (divided)
  1. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Add in the fennel seeds and let it splutter. Add in the chopped red onion and fry till the onions are soft.
  2. Run three tomatoes in a mixie/blender with half a cup of water until coarsely pureed. Add it to the pan.
  3. Run fresh shredded coconut in a blender with a cup of water until it becomes a fine paste. Add it to the pan.
  4. Add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well to combine. The salna at this stage should be watery. Add little more water if you feel that the salna is thick. Add in a teaspoon of sugar.
  5. Cover the pressure pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame. Switch off the heat after the said whistles and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally.
  6. Open the pan and check for seasoning. Add coriander leaves for garnish and serve hot with idlis.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu