Gongura Pappu

Gongura Pappu

Gongura Pappu

Veg Vegan

Sorrel leaves toor dal — fresh gongura (Ambade/roselle sorrel leaves) washed and added directly to pressure-cooking toor dal and cooked together until both are completely soft, then mashed together and tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, garlic, and curry leaves in sesame oil. The gongura leaves dissolve into the dal and turn it an olive-green colour; the combined flavour is intensely tart with the dal's earthiness providing body. The gongura pappu is one step more sour than the plain tamarind-soured dal and the step before the concentrated gongura pachadi; it is the most everyday form of gongura consumption in Telangana. Eaten over rice with a generous pour of ghee; the tartness of gongura is particularly effective as a foil to the richness of the ghee.

Cuisines

Rayalaseema Andhra Telangana

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 15 min Cook: 30 min Total: 45 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
1 bunch gongura leaves (sorrel leaves)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, slit
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
1 dry red chili
1 sprig curry leaves
— salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 15 minutes.
  2. 2 Clean and roughly chop the gongura leaves, removing any tough stems.
  3. 3 In a pressure cooker, add the soaked toor dal, chopped gongura leaves, chopped onion, slit green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Add 2 cups of water.
  4. 4 Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until the dal is soft and cooked.
  5. 5 Once the pressure releases, open the lid and mash the dal slightly with a ladle.
  6. 6 In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter.
  7. 7 Add crushed garlic, asafoetida, dry red chili, and curry leaves. Sauté until the garlic turns golden brown.
  8. 8 Pour this tempering over the cooked dal and mix well.
  9. 9 Simmer the dal on low heat for 5 minutes to let the flavors blend.
  10. 10 Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips

Adjust the number of green chilies according to your spice preference.