Kandipappu Charu
Toor dal tamarind soup — the Telangana version of pappu charu: toor dal (kandi pappu) pressure-cooked until very soft, the cooking water retained and mixed with tamarind extract, tomato, fresh green chilli, dried red chilli, curry leaves, turmeric, and salt, simmered together until the soup is thin, lightly cloudy from the dal water, and warmly sour. Tempered with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, garlic, and cumin in sesame oil. The Telangana version uses slightly more garlic than the Andhra preparation and sometimes adds a pinch of raw cane jaggery to balance the tamarind. Drunk warm from a cup as a digestive before meals or poured lavishly over rice as the first course. The daily soup in virtually every Telangana household; present at the table even when every other dish varies.
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Recipe
Ingredients
|
1/2 cup | Toor Dal |
|
3 cups | Water |
|
1 small | Tamarind , ball |
|
1 medium | Tomato , chopped |
|
1 small | Onion , chopped |
|
2 cloves | Garlic , crushed |
|
2 green | Chili , slit |
|
1 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Red chili powder |
|
1 teaspoon | Mustard Seed |
|
1 teaspoon | Cumin , seeds |
|
1 pinch | Asafoetida |
|
1 sprig | Curry Leaf |
|
2 tablespoons | Oil |
|
1 tablespoon | Ghee |
|
— | Salt , to taste |
|
— | Cilantro , for garnish |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the kandipappu (toor dal) thoroughly and soak it in water for 15 minutes.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 whistles until the dal is soft.
- 3 Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes, then extract the juice and set aside.
- 4 In a pot, heat oil and ghee together. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter.
- 5 Add asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped onions, and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
- 6 Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until the tomatoes become soft.
- 7 Pour in the cooked dal, tamarind juice, red chili powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 8 Simmer the charu for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- 9 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
Adjust the consistency of the charu by adding more or less water as per your preference.