My friend Ramya makes the best Pappu chaaru, EVER!
She gave out a large portion when she made it last week and we relished it with rice and ghee. I always think I should attempt this dish, but this time, I took time to try out her recipe, and was able to create something in the ballpark. So here it is!
Ingredients, makes enough to last for 3 meals for two people
Toor daal - 3/4 cup
Tamarind Paste - 2 Tbsps of thick paste, mixed in water
Oil - 2Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1Tsp
Cumin seeds + Garlic paste (coarse) - 1Tbsp (made from 5-6 mashed garlic cloves)
Chillies - 4-5
Curry leaves - 5-6
Veggies - 2C
Onion - 1, sliced
Coriander powder - 1Tbsp
Fenugreek powder - 1Tbsp
Jeera powder - 1Tbsp
Turmeric - 1Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Method
- Boil the daal in the pressure cooker and mash it to a nice pasty texture
- In a heated hollow bowl, add oil, when hot add jeera and mustard seeds. Let it splutter
- Add onions, split green chilies, curry leaves
- After the onions are fried a little, add all the veggies and a small pinch of fenugreek powder (very imp as it balances the tangy tamarind taste). Then add the coarsly crushed garlic and cumin paste.
- Add turmeric and salt, close the lid for 1-2 min
- Add the tamarind juice to this, and let the vegetables cook in this liquid for 8-10 min on a medium flame
- Add cooked dal and some more water, bring it to a boil
- Add the coriander and jeera powder, and let it boil for 5 min
Serve hot, with warm rice and ghee.
Veggies to add
- Dosakaya (yellow)
- Drumsticks
- Bottle gourd (Sorakaya)
- Brinjal
- Okra
- Dondakaya
- Chayote squash (seeme badnekaayi/seema vankaya)