Andhra Tomato Pappu, Dondakaya Pachadi and Rice with Ghee
No Andhra meal is complete without a variety of dal, a pachadi and rice. Tomato pappu is the most-preferred variety as it is tangy and goes best with dondakaya pachadi, which often replaces the sabzi due to its taste and nutrients. Both are savoured with hot rice and ghee for a full meal.
VIEW INDIVIDUAL RECIPES
Andhra Tomato Pappu (Tomato dal)
- Duration:30 minutes
- Serves:4–5 people
Authenticity Slice
The consistency of the prepared dal should be medium and the dal should be mashed for better taste.
Ingredients
- Pigeon peas (arhar dal) (1 cup)
- Tomatoes, chopped (2)
- Onion, chopped (1)
- Green chillies, chopped (2–3)
- Mustard seeds (sarson) (1/2 tsp)
- Cumin seeds (jeera) (1/2 tsp)
- MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
- MTR Lal Mirch/Red Chilli Powder (1/2 tsp)
- Curry leaves (kadi patta) (8-10 leaves)
- Asafoetida (hing) (a pinch)
- Ghee (clarified butter) (1 tbsp)
- Coriander leaves (hara dhania), finely chopped (1/4th cup)
Method
- Wash and soak arhar dal in water for an hour. Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. Add sarson and as it pops, add jeera.
- Now, add chopped onions, kadi patta and green chillies. Sauté till onions are translucent.
- Now add tomatoes, MTR Lal Mirch Red/Chilli Powder, MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder, hing and salt. Mix well and sauté for two minutes on low flame.
- Add dal and water. Mix well and pressure-cook the dal through 3 whistles.
- Once it cools, open the lid and mash the dal lightly. Add 1 cup of water and stir well.
- Simmer dal for 5 minutes on low to medium flame till you get medium consistency.
- Garnish it with hara dhaniya and serve hot with rice and ghee.
Dondakaya Pachadi (Ivy gourd chutney)
- Duration:10 minutes
- Serves:2–4 people
Authenticity Slice
Cut thin slices of Ivy gourd and use only the tender, green variety.
Ingredients
- Ivy gourd (dondakaya) (1 cup)
- Split Bengal gram (chana dal) (1 tbsp)
- Split black gram (urad dal) (1 tbsp)
- Green chillies (2–4)
- Garlic cloves (2)
- Ginger (1 inch)
- Cumin (jeera) (1/2 tsp)
- Tamarind (imli) paste (1/2 tsp)
- Oil as needed (Salt to taste)
- label (For Seasoning:)
- Oil (1 tbsp)
- Curry leaves (kadi patta) (1 spring)
- Mustard seeds (sarson) (1/2 tsp)
- Cumin seeds (jeera) (1/2 tsp)
- Asafoetida (hing) (pinch)
- Red chilli, broken (1)
Method
- Wash and soak dondakaya in water for 10–15 minutes. Dry them and trim the edges. Chop to thin strips or circles.
- Now, heat oil in a pan. Add one chopped green chilli, garlic, and sauté for a minute. Keep aside.
- In the same pan, heat a tsp of oil, fry the chana and urad dals till golden. Set aside.
- Add salt to dondakaya and fry them in a kadhai till they wilt. Allow them to cool.
- Grind remaining green chillies, garlic and jeera together without water. Add the dals and grind again.
- Next, add dondakaya and tamarind paste and grind further till you get a rough paste. Adjust salt if needed.
- Add little oil to a pan and add mustard, cumin, curry leaves and red chilli. When they splutter sprinkle hing. Switch off the stove and add it to the chutney.
- Dondakaya pachadi is ready to be served with rice and ghee or with dosa.
