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Chintha Chiguru Pappu | Tender Tamarind Leaves Dal

Andhra Style Tender Tamarind Leaves Dal, an early Indian summer delicacy

Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • big handful chintha chiguru /  tender tamarind leaves
  • 1/4 cup yellow dal / Moong Dal
  • 1/3 cup Toor Dal
  • water for cooking
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
  • salt to taste
for seasoning
  • 2-3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • big pinch hing / asafetida
  • 2 red chillies torn
  • 2-3 green chillies cut in half
  • 1/2 tsp pwodered menthulu/methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds
Instructions
  1. Make sure to only pick the pinkish green tender leaves are picked. Separate the hard stalk from the leaves. Wash Chintha Chiguru / tender tamarind leaves well, rinse and pat dry on a clean towel.
  2. Wash the lentils with water until the water runs clear. Pressure cook the lentils/Dals for 3 - 4 cooker whistles and keep aside to cool.
  3. When the cooker has cooled, add turmeric to the lentils and give it a good whisk (I find whisk quite useful for this) to blend and mash well.
  4. Place 2 tbsp oil in a medium pan or kadai over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add green chillies and sauté until the green chillies turn white on the sides. Add the tender tamarind leaves and saute until they have wilted. Add red chilli powder and methi seeds powder or ground fenugreek. You can make your own by grinding some in a small jar mixer-grinder. Sprinkle some salt only for the leaves and stir well to mix.
  5. Pour in the cooked Dal mixture over this. Pour in water according to thick or thin consistency needed. Add salt for the lentils (remember we added salt for the greens earlier), sprinkle freshly grated coconut, stir well and bring it to a gentle boil, stirring in between to avoid the lentils from burning at the bottom. Turn off the stove.
For the seasoning

  1. Pour 1-2 tbsp oil in a small kadai or tadka pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, reduce the heat to low and add cumin seeds and torn red in that order and sauté until the red chillies puff up and turn brown. Add hing/asafetida after turning off the stove.

  2. Pour this hot seasoning into the Dal carefully avoiding the sizzling oil and rising steam. Immediately cover the pan to keep the flavors intact.
  3. Serve hot with steamed rice, drizzled with Ghee and “appadum” (papad)