Telangana Pappu Charu is a famous traditional dal curry of Telangana. Pappu or dal or lentil is cooked with green chillies, onions and tomatoes and then in tamarind juice. It has a tangy and spicy taste. It goes well with plain rice and any side vegetable fry, papad, pickle, roti, fried chicken, fried fish and scrambled eggs.
Ingredients:
Toor dal ¾ cup
Water 2 cups
Tomatoes (chopped) 2
Onion (chopped) 1
Green chilies (slit) 10
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chili powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Tamarind lime-sized
Coriander leaves 1tbsp
For seasoning:
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Jeera/cumin seeds ½ tsp
Dry red chili 2
Garlic 5
Channa dal 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Curry leaves 2 strands
Oil 3 tsp
Method:
- Wash the toor dal 2 – 3 times.
- In a pressure cooker add toor dal, water, turmeric powder, green chilies, tomatoes, onions and close the lid and cook till 1 whistle on high flame reduce the flame to low and cook for 10 minutes. Put off the flame.
- Soak tamarind in ½ cup of water for 5 minutes then squeeze for tamarind juice.
- When pressure subsides open the pressure cooker lid and mash the cooked dal.
- Now add the tamarind juice to the mashed dal and allow it to boil till the raw smell disappears (i.e. takes about 3 – 4 minutes).
- Meanwhile heat oil in a pan, add mustard and jeera seeds when it splutters add the garlic (chopped into 2 halves) and fry till it changes its color to light brown. Add channa dal, urad dal and sauté. Add dry red chilli and 1 strand of curry leaves and just sauté and put off the flame.
- Add the seasoning to the boiling dal and mix well and allow it to cook to 1 – 2 minutes. Keep stirring. Put off the flame.
- Add coriander leaves and 1 strand of curry leaves and close with the lid. You get a good aroma.
Telangana Pappu Charu is ready. Serve it with plain rice or ghee and rice, roti, pori.
Do refer for more dal recipes:
