PAPPUCHARU

A milder version of sambar is Pappucharu. This is a  purely Andhra dish which is very easy to make. Many different vegetables can be used in making this delicious dish. No powder or podi such as sambar powder or rasam powder  is required in making this dish. Vegetables are cooked along with mashed toordal, tamarind juice, salt and chili powder till the aroma sweeps the home and then it is seasoned with curry leaves, coriander and Andhra style tadka. When a single vegetable is used the dish is called with the pappucharu followed by the vegetable name, such as ullipaya pappucharu, vankaya pappucharu, mulakkada  pappucharu, bendakaya pappucharu etc. Today I made this simple tasty pappucharu with onions and tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS

• Toor dal                   cooked and mashed 1 cup
• Water                      2 cups
• Tamarind pulp         2 Tsp
• Onion                      1 large
• Tomato                   1 small
• Coriander                3-4 sprigs
• Salt                         to taste
• Red chilly powder   1/2 tsp

For the tadka

• Oil                          1 Tsp
• Jeera                     1 tsp
• Mustard                 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek              1/2 tsp
• Red chilies              1
• Hing                        a pinch

PROCEDURE
In a sauce pan add the mashed dal, big chunks of onions and tomatoes, tamarind pulp, salt and red chilly powder. Add enough water and cook on a medium flame till the veggies are well cooked and a very nice aroma sweeps your home. It takes about 25-30 minutes to cook the pappucharu. The frothy layer formed initially should disappear and that is when the stew is ready. Add the coriander. In a small pan heat the oil and add the tadka ingredients. When the tadka is done add it to the pappucharu. Have it with hot steamed rice and ghee. Don’t forget to mix from the bottom before serving as the dal settles at the bottom.