Chintapandu Pappu

Ingredients

• - 1 cup toor dal
• - 250g tamarind (chintapandu)
• - 2 tbsp ghee
• - 5 garlic cloves
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• - 2 dried red chillies
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - 1/4 tsp turmeric
• - Salt to taste
• - Juice of half lemon

Method

1. Cook toor dal: Wash half cup toor dal. Pressure cook with 1.5 cups water and half tsp turmeric for 4 whistles. Mash partially.
2. Soak tamarind: Soak a marble-sized tamarind in half cup warm water 15 minutes. Extract and strain.
3. Add tamarind to dal: Add the tamarind extract to the cooked toor dal. Mix well.
4. Add spice powders: Add 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and salt. Mix.
5. Simmer: Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until the tamarind cooks into the dal and loses its raw smell.
6. Adjust sourness: Taste — chintapandu pappu should be distinctly sour. Add more tamarind or a pinch of jaggery to balance.
7. Make ghee tadka: Heat 2 tbsp ghee until hot.
8. Add tadka: Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add 3 dried red chillies, 5 sliced garlic cloves, a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves.
9. Pour tadka: Pour sizzling tadka over the pappu.
10. Serve: Chintapandu pappu should be tangy and dark. Serve with steamed rice and ghee.