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Vorn
Green gram and coconut milk sweet
Vorn: Mangalorean Monti Fest sweet of green gram, coconut milk and jaggery
On 8 September, Mangalorean Catholics celebrate Monti Fest, the feast of Mary's Nativity, which is also a harvest festival: new ears of grain are blessed at church and shared at home, and the family eats a vegetarian feast of new-season vegetables. Vorn, a pudding of split green gram (moong) cooked with coconut milk, jaggery and cardamom, is the sweet that ends it. It is like a gentle payasam, vegan and gluten free. Chef's tip: dry-roast the moong dal until fragrant before cooking it, which gives vorn its nutty flavour.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz split green gram (moong dal)
- 2 ½ cups water
- 7 oz jaggerygrated
- 1 ¾ cups thin coconut milk
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
- 1 tbsp rice flourmixed with 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅔ oz cashews (optional)fried in 1 tsp coconut oil, optional
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 5 ½ oz split green gram (moong dal) in a heavy pan over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty and turns pale golden. Rinse.
5 minStep 2: Cook in 2 ½ cups water for 25–30 minutes, until very soft and starting to break down.
28 minStep 3: Melt 7 oz jaggery in 3 tbsp water and strain into the dal. Add 1 ¾ cups thin coconut milk and 1 pinch salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp rice flour and simmer for 3 minutes until slightly thickened, then add ¾ cup thick coconut milk and ½ tsp ground cardamom and heat through without boiling. A common mistake is boiling the thick coconut milk, which splits.
5 minStep 5: Serve warm, topped with ⅔ oz cashews if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vorn take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 split green gram (moong dal)?
- Any whole pulse, such as moth beans or chickpeas (for sprouting; times vary).
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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