Green Gram Dal Okkarai

Okkarai also known as Ukkarai is a traditional sweet made during Deepavali.

Green gram dal okkarai is a traditional South Indian dish made with green gram dal (also known as moong dal), coconut, and a mix of spices. The consistency of this Okkarai looks like halwa.

There is another variety of Okkarai made with Bengal Gram Dal and the consistency is like Puttu.

Green Gram Dal Okkarai

Recipe by S Kamala
Course: SweetsCuisine: Indian, TamilDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes

Green gram dal okkarai is a traditional South Indian dish made with green gram dal (also known as moong dal), coconut, and a mix of spices.

Ingredients

  • Green Gram Dhal – 1 cup

  • Rice flour – ½ cup

  • Fine Rawa – ½ cup

  • Jaggery powdered – 2 cups

  • Ghee – ½ cup

  • Cashew Nuts – 10 to 15

  • Coconut gratings – 1 cup

  • Cardamom Powder – 1 teaspoon

Directions

  • In a kadai, put the green gram dal and dry fry until it turns light brown. Wash it well and pressure-cook the sautéed dal with two cups of water for 4 to 5 whistles or until it becomes soft.
  • To prepare the jaggery syrup, combine ½ cup of water with jaggery powder in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then strain the syrup and set it aside.
  • In a kadai, fry cashew nuts in a teaspoon of ghee until golden, then set them aside.
  • In the same kadai, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee and sauté the rava until it releases a pleasing aroma. Next, stir in the rice flour and continue frying briefly. Add grated coconut and sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat.
  • Integrate the well-mashed, cooked dal and jaggery syrup into the kadai mixture. Stir constantly until the ingredients meld together into a thick consistency. Add the remaining ghee and continue to stir until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the vessel.
  • Finally, fold in the fried cashew nuts and a sprinkle of cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly before transferring the completed dish into a greased bowl.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • For this recipe, use fine rawa. If the rawa is big in size, then put it in a mixie jar and grind it for two to three rounds and use it.

8 Comments

  1. Green gram dhal here refers to paasi payaru or paasi paruppu…? I mean yellow (without skin) one or green with skin? – Jay

  2. Green gram dhal is Paasi Paruppu also known as payatham paruppu (the yellow dhal without skin).

  3. Okkarai came out well! Thanks:)

    I could have put little more ghee to make it more tastier. From health point of view, mine was not too bad!

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Anee

  4. Hi Anee

    Thank you for visiting my site and trying the recipe. You are right. For health point of view, we can reduce the ghee whever we prepare it for our consumption. If it is for party or for distribution we can add little more ghee to get the rich taste. Moreover, when we prepare for party etc, the share per person will be less and will not be a health problem.

  5. Mam,I tried this recipe today.It came out very well.Your site is a great resource to try and learn new recipes..Thank u.

  6. Can dry coconut gratings be used or is it much better to use fresh coconut scrapings? Thanks, Hema

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