Spinach dal (Palakura pappu)

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 140gms of toor dal (kandi pappu)
• 200gms of spinach (I used the frozen once)
• 2 large onions finely chopped
• 5 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 4 cups of water (double of dal in 1:2 ratio)
• 4 tbps of tamarind juice
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2 tbp of ghee
• 2 red dry chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 5 curry leaves
• Salt to taste


Method:
• In a pressure cooker add dal, spinach, turmeric, green chillies and water.
• Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• In a small pan add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, red dry chillies and curry leaves.
• After it starts to pop up add onions and fry till they are cooked. Add this to the dal.
• Now add tamarind juice and salt.
• Add ½ cup of water and cook for about 5mins.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

Tip:
• If you are using fresh spinach add 3-4 bunches of finely chopped once.

Carrot dal (carrot pappu)

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 140gms of toor dal (kandi pappu)
• 3 large carrots chopped into big cubes
• 5 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 4 cups of water (double of dal in 1:2 ratio)
• 4 tbps of tamarind juice
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 tbp of ghee
• 2 red dry chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 5 curry leaves
• 2 tbps of sambar powder (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to garnish

Method:
• In a pressure cooker add dal, carrots, turmeric, green chillies and water.
• Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• In a small pan add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, red dry chillies and curry leaves.
• After it starts to pop up add this to the dal.
• Now add tamarind juice, salt, sambar pwd and coriander leaves.
• Add ½ cup of water and cook for about 5mins.
• Serve hot with rice.

Tip:
• Tamarind juice, sambar pwd and ghee adds lot of taste to the dal.

Methi dal (menthi kura pappu)

To serve 4-6 people:

Ingredients:
• 300gms chopped methi
• 240gms of moong dal
• Salt to taste
• 1tbp of ghee
• 1 tbp of urad dal
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 1 teaspoon of coarsely grinded red dry chillies
• 5 curry leaves

Method:
• In a pressure cooker add dal, chopped methi, salt and 600ml of water. Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• In a small pan heat ghee and add urad dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida, coarsely grinded red dry chillies and curry leaves. Fry till they start to pop up.
• Now add this to the cooked dal and serve hot with rice.

Tip:
• Coarsely grinded red chillies can also be replaced by 4 red dry chillies. But the grinded one will add lot of taste.

Tomato dal (Tomato pappu)

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 120gms of toor dal (kandi pappu)
• 4 large tomatoes chopped into big cubes
• 5 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 4 cups of water (double of dal in 1:2 ratio)
• 4 tbps of tamarind juice
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 tbp of ghee
• 2 red dry chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 5 curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to garnish

Method:
• In a pressure cooker add dal, tomatoes, turmeric, green chillies and water.
• Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• In a small pan add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, red dry chillies and curry leaves.
• After it starts to pop up add this to the dal.
• Now add tamarind juice, salt and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice.

Tip:
• Tamarind juice and ghee adds lot of taste to the dal.