Saturday

The Lentil Challenge - Madgane

We have lentil based breakfasts, we have lentil based snacks and of course we have lentil based curries. So when Catherine invited me to the lentil challenge hosted by Something in Season, I was actually stumped because I had so, so many dishes to choose from! "How about a lentil based dessert"?, I thought. Yes, why not, because we have those too.

Unlike popular Indian desserts, most Konkani desserts are not dairy-based. While the use of coconut, jaggery and cardamom is a given, they are usually combined with fruits, rice or lentils. Madgane is not a dessert in the traditional sense. We don't make it as a last course to a Sunday lunch for instance. It has rather richer associations - weddings, the Hindu New year and for me 'devasthan jewan' (meals eaten in a temple).

During the festival at our temple in Goa, after the puja was done, we would race to the lunch area a little distance away. This was not because we were very hungry (well not always) but because the road was blistering hot under the afternoon sun and we were barefoot. The entire lunch was delicious of course, but in my eyes it was the madgane that truly made the hotfooting (pun totally intended :-)) worthwhile.

Madgane is quite rich because it is made with a lot of coconut milk. I have reduced the amounts keeping in mind that I have indulged my sweet tooth a little too often in the past few weeks! I used a readymade tin of coconut milk; this obviously won't taste the same as freshly extracted milk but it sure cuts down the hassle and time.

madgane

MADGANE (Lentil Pudding)
(serves 2-3)
1/3 cup split bengal gram (chana dal)
6-8 cashews, halved
1/2 cup grated jaggery (adjust to taste)
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Wash dal in 2-3 changes of water. Drain, then add about a cup of water and soak along with cashews for an hour.

Transfer to a deep bottom pan, add one more cup of water and cook until dal is tender. Do not overcook the dal; it should be soft but able to hold its shape. Add more water in batches if necessary.

Add jaggery, cardamom powder and milk. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Serve hot.
(If the kheer is too watery add a tablespoon of rice flour to thicken it)

* Edited to add - I won!!! Thanks a lot Brendon.

Tags: indian dessert chana dal kheer payasam godshe mangannem

32 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is my fav dish.Thank you so much for the recipe.Nice description.Hope to see more of traditional konkani dishes on your platter.

8:39 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

I'm so excited! A lentil dessert! This sounds delicious! Thanks so much for participating!

9:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ashwini, this is indeed quite a delicious & sweet challenge I would love to take up...Nice recipe...:)

10:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can't say I like madgane much. Your photo on the other hand makes it look very appetizing! Great job!

11:05 PM  
Blogger Menu Today said...

Hi Ashwini,
Delicious one!!

2:15 AM  
Blogger indianadoc said...

I was just amused thinking how cultures and eating habbits of many Indian states sometimes run into each other...your Madgane has a kerala counterpart called Prathaman(which means No.1, and truly it is)...the difference being that it is green gram dal that is used instead of the Bengal gram dal... hmm....shall try this new permutation as well...

7:37 AM  
Blogger KA said...

Ashwini, dessert looks appetizing!! Never tried this before, great recipe.

7:43 AM  
Blogger MeloMeals said...

I was wondering if anyone would do this... I will definitely give it a try..

9:44 AM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Anon - glad to help. Thanks and sure I will be posting many Konkani recipes in the future
Catherine - thank you for telling me about this event. I loved posting about one of my favorite dessert
Thanks Lera, MT & Krishna
ID - Its true isnt it. We are more aware of the "diversity" of Indian cuisine but so many similarities exist too. Though Konkani cuisine has a lot in common with almost all southern states, the highest similarities exist with Karnataka and Kerala (a small part of our community is actually settled in Kerala too)

11:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ashwini,we do have a some lentil based desserts in Andhra cuisine too very similar to Madgane. Your version looks delicious!!

11:52 AM  
Blogger Tina Jennifer D'Silva said...

Hey Ashwini... my dad loves this dessert a lot... When we go to Mangalore... my moms sister would make this in a lot as everyone would go bonkers over it...

11:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good one Ashwini. I like this paays, but didn't know it is called Madgane. Thanks :).

1:43 PM  
Blogger Arthi said...

Ashwini, I'm surfing the blog world after a long time and I've one word for you - WOW ! That's a complete facelift ! The photographs look great too, start hunting for a publisher !!
Good job!

2:14 PM  
Blogger Nabeela said...

congratulations on winning the lentil challenge contest!! I came to know about the contest through your site and entered one of my old recipes too:)

12:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Ashwini,
Congratulations on winning the Great Lentil Challenge! I was thinking of making Madgane for the next JFI event. Or as the final entry for my 'Ton of Protein' series. I'll think of something else now. Btw, my husband and his siblings + cousins call this dish 'mudguard'. ;-)

1:46 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Sailu - yep I have seen chana dal payasams in Andhra cuisine
Tina - it is much loved in our family too
Shilpa, Bindu, Nabeela - thanks
Arthi - where are you buddy? A publisher?? I like your sense of humor :-)
Vaishali - mudguard? hahah....had me in splits. Btw do make this for JFI...its an apt dish isnt it

3:52 PM  
Blogger Vineela said...

Hi Ashwini,
Delicious.Nice recipe.Hope to try it one day.
Vineela

5:10 PM  
Blogger BDSN said...

We make this kind of lentil dessert for festivals and special occasions...Pretty easy...

6:53 PM  
Blogger appalam vadaam said...

We call this Paruppu payasam. Mostly Payasam with jaggery is made on festival days - so this is the favourite. A variation is to add Mung dal and Tuvar dal too.

Your site is unique and nice. Cute names for those dishes. Tried a few recipes as well. Looking forward to many more.

1:43 AM  
Blogger Rajesh &Shankari said...

A slight variation to the payasam we make, I will try this and let you know

4:26 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Congrats on winning the Great Lentil Challenge! I can't wait to try this one!

7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We make the same in Kerala with moong dal. It is amazing how we share recipes across sates and think it is our 'authentic' preparation. :)
Great!

9:49 PM  
Blogger Mahek said...

hi
ashwini
i was so thrilled to see madgane on your post
so you are a typical goan as i am and madgane is my fathers favorite sweet dish which is made on his birthday by my mother every year
offcourse it done on other days too but without fail on his birthday.

2:08 AM  
Blogger Krithika said...

Very similar to Tenga Pal Payasam (coconut milk payasam) that we make. Nice photo and recipe

9:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I do the same thing.. only diff is regular milk instead of coconut milk..

WIll definetly have to try it with coco milk Ashwini...

10:02 AM  
Blogger GourmayMasala said...

Ashwini - It seems I've been away from blogging for a loooong time now..

Congratulations on winning the lentil challenge!!

BTW... I love the brand new look for your blog!!

2:29 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Vineela - sure...let me know how you like it
BDSN - yep I used to have this at my Tamil friends house as payasam
Vasundhara - I am glad you liked my recipes...you have a grea blog going too
Catherine - thank YOU. I would never have known of the challenge if you hadnt told me
Shankari, LG, Krithika, Santhi - thanks
Neelu - you can also use light coconut milk to cut down the calories
GM - you have been missing..and we have missed you :-) Glad you liked my new look. Thanks

2:51 PM  
Blogger cavacavien said...

Hello!
I come here to inform you that I introduced(?) your delicious Indian Lentil Dessert on my blog.
Thank you for shering great recipe!

10:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Liked your creativeness over betel leaf.and also strawberry shrikand is really inspiring.Thanks for sharing.

12:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love madgane,thanks a lot for the recipe.Just a wild thought,can you use besan instead of chana dal?

11:47 AM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Hi Anon, thanks.
No you can't use besan. You can use moong dal instead of chana dal and make a similar kheer.

12:28 PM  
Blogger K.Boy said...

I was looking for a Madgane recipe for a long time even on other three Konkani blog sites, Shilpa,VV, and Manjula. Finally I found from your site and I will try your recipe.
Last I tasted about ten years ago when one Malvani lady had prepared it.

2:31 PM  

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