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Mamidikaya pappu
Toor dal with raw mango
మామిడికాయ పప్పు: Andhra toor dal soured with raw mango and finished with a garlic tadka
Ugadi falls just as the first green mangoes reach Andhra markets, so the festive lunch nearly always has a pot of mamidikaya pappu beside the pulihora and pachadi. Toor dal is cooked soft, then sharpened with chunks of sour raw mango and slit green chillies, and finished with a sizzling tempering of garlic, dried red chilli and curry leaves. Mixed into hot rice with a spoon of ghee, it is tangy, mellow and comforting. The common mistake is cooking the mango with raw dal: its acid stops the lentils from softening, so always cook the dal to a smooth mush first. The mango is ready when a piece crushes easily but still holds its shape. Chef's tip: mangoes vary hugely in sourness, so add half, taste after five minutes and add the rest only if the dal needs more bite.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dal
- 5 ½ oz toor dal (split pigeon peas)rinsed
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 5 ½ oz raw green mangopeeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
- 3 green chilliesslit
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
For the tadka
- 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 dried red chilliesbroken
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pressure-cook 5 ½ oz toor dal (split pigeon peas) with 2 ½ cups water and ½ tsp ground turmeric for 4 whistles (about 15 minutes), or simmer it partly covered for 40 minutes, until it is completely soft. Mash it smooth with a whisk.
15 minStep 2: Put 5 ½ oz raw green mango, 3 green chillies and ¾ cup water in a saucepan, cover and simmer for 6–8 minutes until the mango is just tender.
8 minStep 3: Add the mashed dal, ½ tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until the dal coats the spoon thickly and the mango has softened but not broken up. Add a splash of hot water if it is too thick.
5 minStep 4: For the tadka, heat 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds; when they crackle, add 3 dried red chillies and 4 cloves garlic and fry until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add 10 curry leaves and 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing) for a few seconds.
2 minStep 5: Pour the tadka over the dal, cover for a minute so the aroma soaks in, and serve hot with rice and ghee.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mamidikaya pappu take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of toor dal (split pigeon peas)?
- Red lentils (masoor dal) (cook 10 minutes less).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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