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Kummayam
Roasted urad and moong halwa
கும்மாயம்: Chettinad's glossy halwa of roasted urad, moong and rice flour with jaggery and ghee
Kummayam, also called aadi kummayam, is the sweet Chettinad homes make in the Tamil month of Aadi (July to August), when it is offered at the temple and shared with family. Urad dal, moong dal and rice are dry-roasted and ground into a flour, then cooked in thin jaggery syrup with ghee until it becomes a soft, glossy, dark halwa that pulls away from the pan. It tastes of roasted lentils and molasses and is eaten warm. The most common mistake is adding the flour to hot syrup in one go, which makes stubborn lumps; whisk it into cool syrup first, then cook. Chef's tip: add the ghee a spoonful at a time towards the end and stop when the halwa turns glossy and comes together in one mass.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the flour
- 2 ⅛ oz whole skinned urad dal
- 1 oz yellow moong dal
- 1 oz raw rice
For the halwa
- 7 oz grated jaggery
- 2 cups water
- 3 ½ oz ghee
- 4 green cardamomseeds ground
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 2 ⅛ oz whole skinned urad dal, 1 oz yellow moong dal and 1 oz raw rice together over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until light golden and fragrant. Cool and grind to a fine flour.
14 minStep 2: Dissolve 7 oz grated jaggery in 2 cups water over low heat, strain to remove grit and leave to cool to lukewarm.
6 minStep 3: Whisk the flour into the lukewarm jaggery water until completely smooth and lump-free.
2 minStep 4: Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 6–8 minutes until it thickens like a paste.
8 minStep 5: Add 3 ½ oz ghee a spoonful at a time, stirring after each, for another 6–8 minutes until the halwa turns glossy and dark, stops sticking and moves as one mass.
8 minStep 6: Stir in 4 green cardamom and serve warm.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kummayam take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of raw rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of grated jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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