Parippu Curry
Veg
The opening course of the Kerala Sadya: split moong dal or toor dal cooked until soft with cumin and turmeric, then blended with coconut paste and tempered in ghee. Poured over rice and topped with a spoon of pure ghee — the ritual first act of sitting down to eat in Kerala.
Cuisines
Travancore
Kerala
Kerala Christian
Malabar
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1/2 cup | toor dal (split pigeon peas) |
| 1 cup | water |
| 1/4 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 cup | coconut milk |
| 1 tablespoon | coconut oil |
| 1/2 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 2 | dried red chilies |
| 1 sprig | curry leaves |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 clove | garlic, finely chopped |
| 1 small | onion, finely chopped |
| 1 to taste | salt |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the toor dal thoroughly under running water.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, add the rinsed toor dal, water, and turmeric powder.
- 3 Cook the dal for 2-3 whistles or until it becomes soft and mushy.
- 4 Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and mash the dal lightly.
- 5 Add coconut milk to the cooked dal and mix well.
- 6 In a small pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat.
- 7 Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- 8 Add dried red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida, sauté for a few seconds.
- 9 Add chopped garlic and onion, and sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
- 10 Pour the tempering over the dal and mix well.
- 11 Season with salt to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 12 Serve hot with steamed rice.
Tips
For a richer flavor, you can add a small piece of jaggery while simmering the curry.