Dal cooked with gongura leaves, spices and curry leaves is a staple in the Andhra Cuisine. It is protein packed, delicious, spicy and tangy. Serve it with rice or roti.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Andhra

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup toor dal ((split pigeon peas or ½ cup toor dal & ¼ cup moong dal))
  • 2 cups water ((½ cup more for adjusting if required))
  • 1 cup gongura leaves (chopped (measured after chopping))
  • 1 onion (small to medium)
  • 1 to 3 hot green chili (slit (optional))
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon Salt ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tablespoon oil)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 to 2 dried red chilli ((broken))
  • 2 to 6 Curd chilies ((optional))
  • 1 Pinch hing ((asafetida, optional))
  • 1 to 2 garlic pods (crushed)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder ((optional for more heat))

Method

  1. Add dal to a bowl or cooker and rinse it well a few times. Pour 2 cups water and pressure cook on a medium heat for 1 to 3 whistles depending on your cooker.
  2. Mean while soak gongura leaves in vinegar and salt water for some time. Rinse them well a few times and drain aside.
  3. Chop gongura finely, slice onions, slit green chillies.
  4. When the pressure drops, open the lid and mash the dal slightly. Add gongura, chilies, onions and slit green chilli.
  5. Mix well and check the consistency. If it is too thick pour some hot water and mix. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce the heat. Cook until the leaves are fully tender and soft. Taste test and adjust salt.
  6. Heat a small tadka pan with ghee or oil. Add cumin, mustard, garlic and red chili, curd chili. when the spices begin to splutter, add curry leaves and hing. If you want you can also set aside the curd chilies and turn off. Then add the red chilli powder.
  7. Pour this to gongura pappu.

Instant Pot Gongura Dal

  1. Pour oil or ghee to the steel insert. Press the saute button, add mustard, cumin, garlic, red chilies, curry leaves and hing.
  2. Add onions and green chilies. Saute for 1 to 2 mins. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, dal and gongura.
  3. Press cancel and pour 2¼ cups water. Deglaze the pot. Secure the IP with the lid and position the steam release vent to sealing. If you want you may put a trivet and your rice (short grain rice only) bowl over that.
  4. Press pressure cook and set the timer to 10 to 12 mins, depending on how mature your gongura is.
  5. When the pressure drops, open the lid and mash the dal. Add salt and mix well. Serve gongura pappu with rice and ghee.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.