Andhra Pappu is a famous dish from the state of Andhra Pradesh which means a dal made in Andhra style. An Andhra meal is incomplete without dal cooked with some added veggies. This dal is commonly made by adding finely chopped tomatoes or palak. However, you can make tons of variations by adding your favorite vegetable.

The recipe is super simple as the lentils and all the vegetables are cooked in a pressure cooker. The only thing that needs to be perfect is the tempering which adds flavor to it.

I follow the same method, but I add half finely chopped onion in the dal while cooking it in a pressure cooker and remaining half in the tempering. As the onion in a pressure cooker gets cooked and mashed completely. I also add vadagam in the tempering to enhance the flavor. Vadagam is a masala which is used in South Indian cooking and moreover, it is a Mudaliar- Chettinad specialty:)

This dal tastes amazing with plain rice, some mango pickle on the side, and loads of ghee served over it. 

3 cups chopped palak (spinach)

1/2 cup toor dal 

1/2 cup moong dal

1 medium-sized chopped onion

1 lemon sized tamarind

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chili powder

3 green chilies

1 tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, and urad dal.

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 red chilies

7-8 crushed garlic pods

Curry leaves

1 tbsp vadagam (a Mudaliar – Chettinad tempering specialty)

1. Take the chopped palak, half chopped onion, toor dal, moong dal, tamarind, turmeric powder, and red chili powder in a cooker and add enough water to it. Cook for up to 3-4 whistles.
2. Once it cools down, mash the dal together with a masher, add salt as per taste and set it aside.
3. For tempering, take 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, -and fenugreek seeds. Allow it to become golden brown. 
4. Then add half chopped onion, crushed garlic, and curry leaves. Fry until the onion turns golden brown.
5. Turn off the flame and then add vadagam.
6. Bring the dal to a boil again. Adjust the consistency by adding little water if required. 
7. Add the tempering to the dal and mix well.
8. Serve the dal hot with rice.