Anapakaya Pappu
Bottle gourd toor dal — bottle gourd (anapakaya/lauki) peeled, diced, and pressure-cooked with toor dal, water, tomato, green chilli, and turmeric until both vegetable and dal are completely soft and the gourd has largely dissolved into the dal. The finished pappu is thick, pale, and mildly flavoured; tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, garlic, and curry leaves in sesame oil. The bottle gourd's neutral flavour absorbs the dal's earthiness and the tempering's sharpness; the garlic tempering is essential to lift the otherwise mild preparation. One of the most digestively gentle dals in Telangana cooking; recommended by grandmothers for upset stomachs and after illness. Present at almost every Telangana lunch as the most reliably available daily vegetable dal.
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Recipe
Ingredients
|
1/2 cup | Toor Dal |
|
1 cup | Bottle Gourd , diced |
|
1 medium | Onion , chopped |
|
1 medium | Tomato , chopped |
|
2 cloves | Garlic , minced |
|
1/4 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Red chili powder |
|
1/2 teaspoon | Mustard Seed |
|
1/2 teaspoon | Cumin , seeds |
|
1 pinch | Asafoetida |
|
1 sprig | Curry Leaf |
|
2 tablespoons | Oil |
|
— | Salt , to taste |
|
2 tablespoons | Cilantro , chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 15 minutes.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, add the soaked toor dal, diced anapakaya, chopped onion, chopped tomato, minced garlic, slit green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
- 3 Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until the dal is cooked soft.
- 4 Once the pressure releases, open the lid and mash the dal mixture lightly with a ladle.
- 5 In a small pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- 6 Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves to the oil and sauté for a few seconds.
- 7 Pour the tempering into the cooked dal and mix well.
- 8 Simmer the dal for 5 minutes on low heat to allow the flavors to blend.
- 9 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For a richer taste, add a teaspoon of ghee while serving.