Andhra Style Pappu Charu Recipe (Lentil Soup Style Curry)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arhar dal (Split Toor Dal)
• 3 Green Chillies or red dry chillies
• 10 cloves Garlic
• 1 Tomato chopped
• 1 Onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons Tamarind Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons Ghee
• 6 Curry leaves
• 1 teaspoons Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)
• 1 pinch Asafoetida (hing)

Steps

1. To begin making the Andhra Style Pappu Chaaru, first wash the dal thoroughly and soak it for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Add the dal, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, green chillies, 6 crushed garlic cloves, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water into a pressure cooker.
3. Place the pressure cooker on a high heat and allow it to cook. When you hear a couple of whistles, turn the heat to low and continue to cook for a couple more whistles. The dal should be cooked well enough to be mashed easily. After 4-5 whistles in all, turn the heat off and allow the pressure to release naturally.
4. When you are able to lift the weight easily and open the lid of the pressure cooker, mash the cooked dal well using a vegetable masher.
5. Add tamarind pulp, salt and the remaining crushed garlic to this and 1 cup water and boil it again till the raw tamarind smell vanishes and the dal thickens.
6. Taste the dal and adjust salt and tamarind levels if needed. The chaaru should be tangy, spicy and garlicy.
7. For tempering, place a tadka ladle on the heat. Add some gheeand warm it up. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
8. Next, add asafoetida and curry leaves and allow them to splutter and crisp up. Pour the tempering over the chaaru and serve with Steamed Rice and a dollop of ghee.