Pappu Charu

Soak the toor dal in 200 ml water for 20 minutes, then drain it. Soak the tamarind separately in 120 ml water for the last 10 minutes, squeeze it well and keep the extract ready. Wash the vegetables and coriander leaves. Slice the onion, chop the tomato and coriander, slit the green chillies, cut the drumstick into short pieces, and wash and pat the curry leaves dry.

Toor DalWaterWaterTamarind

Pressure cook the drained dal with turmeric and 360 ml water for 4 whistles, about 12 minutes. Keep the flame on medium after the first whistle, until the dal is fully soft.

Turmeric PowderWater

Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the cooker. Mash the dal well with a ladle until no whole grains remain.

Bring the mashed dal with its cooking water to a boil in a kadai on medium flame. Add onion, tomato, drumstick and green chilli. Simmer for 12 minutes until the onion is soft and the drumstick is tender.

OnionTomatoDrumstickGreen Chilli

Pour in the tamarind extract and add salt and jaggery. Simmer on medium-low flame for 8 minutes until the raw tamarind smell goes and the charu is thin and pourable. Stir in coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

SaltJaggeryCoriander Leaves

Heat oil in a small tadka pan on medium flame for 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds, cumin, dry red chillies, crushed garlic, curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry for 1 minute until the mustard splutters and garlic turns light golden. Pour the tempering over the charu, cover for 2 minutes, and serve hot.

OilMustard SeedsCuminDry Red ChilliGarlicCurry leavesAsafoetida