Pappu charu (andhra style dal/lentil medley)

Ingredients

• Tuar dal/kandi pappu – 1 cup
• Water – 2 cups.
• Tamarind- a small lemon sized ball
• Tomatoes – 2 medium sized
• Turmeric – 1/4 spoon
• Hing: one pinch
• Sugar – 1 teaspoon(optional)
• Salt – 1 teaspoon(optional)
• Rasam powder/Charu podi – 2 to 3 spoon tsp
• Ghee – 2 to 3 tbsp

For the seasoning:

• Bengal gram dal/senaga pappu/chana dal : 1 teaspoon
• Urad dal/minappa pappu :1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds/jeera      : 1 teaspoon
• Fenugreek seeds/methi : 1/2 teaspoon
• Dry red chillies : 2 to 3 broken.
• Hing/asafotida: a pinch
• Garlic pods : 5 to 6
• Curry leaves : a few
• Coriander leaves: a few sprigs

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Preparation

• Cook the dal with water in a pressure cooker till the dal turns soft. Once the dal comes back to room temperature, mash the dal with the back of a round spoon or an egg beater to a soft consistency as shown in the pic and keep aside.
• Place the tamarind in a little water and boil for a couple of minutes. Once this is cooled, extract the tamarind juice by mashing the pulp together with water.
• Save the tamarind water and discard the pulp. The tamarind water would be a little thick in consistency. Keep this tamarind jiuce aside.
• You can use a steel vessel that you normally use for boiling milk or water to prepare this dish or any copper bottomed vessel.
• Pour 3 cups of water in the vessel and turn on the stove. To this water add a pinch of hing, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, some turmeric and chopped tomatoes and allow to bring to boil.
• Once the water starts boiling and you feel that the tomatoes are cooked a little, add the tamarind jiuce that we just extracted to the vessel.
• Allow to boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the mashed dal and mix well till all the contents mix with each other and get to an even consistency. Allow to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt at this stage and mix well. Check seasoning and add more if required.
• Now add the rasam powder and mix well. Check for the taste and add more rasam powder if you feel that the taste is a little bland. Now turn off the stove. Prepare the seasoning.
• At any stage if you feel that the taste is too strong or the conisistency is too thick, add some water till you get the required consistency and taste.
• For this heat ghee in a small kadhai. Fry the chana dal. When it slightly changes colour add the udad dal. Let it fry for half a minute. Now add the mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the jeera and allow to fry. Add the broken red chillies and fry. Add a couple of pinches of hing and stir well. Add the curry leaves.
• Add the garlic pods and keep stirring. You will see that the garlic starts changing colour. Now add the curry leaves. Turn off the stove. Add a little turmeric and mix the whole seasoning well.
• Add this mixture to the dal preperation we already made. Mix well and boil for a couple of minutes. Add chopped coriander for garnish. Remove from stove. Serve hot with rice.