Pappu Pulusu – Pappu Charu Andhra Style - Lunch Box Recipes

This is another method to make the famous Andhra way of making a lentil vegetable stew with Tamarind base. Normally the pappu charu is not that sour but mildly made using tamarind, however in this method Amma makes use of little more of tamarind pulp that renders a little more hint of tamarind in the gravy.

Pulusu is anything that's thin in texture and we normally use tamarind in the base. Some years back, Pappu charu was the default Sunday night comfort meal. After the hectic lunch preparation, it was this mild simple comfort food.

This is was my lunch when I had made a different menu for the family. I paired it with Hing and red chilli powder seasoned potato chips.

Pappu Pulusu ~ Tamarind based lentil Stew with Vegetables

Ingredients Needed

For the Pulusu

Toor dal - 1 cup
Onions - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp - 1 lemon size.
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Vegetables used:

Drumstick - 1, chopped into small pieces
Arbi / Colacasia / Samagedda (Chama dumpa) - 3- 4 nos
Snack gourd / Potlakaya - 1 small

Tempering ingredients:

Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Green Chillies - 3 nos
Dry Red Chillis - 1

How to make Pappu Pulusu

Wash and cook Arbi till done. Arbi can be cooked in a pan of water or in microwave. Once cooled, peel skin and chop into rounds of 1" thickness.

Chop drumstick into small pieces. Microwave for 5 -7 mins in microwave. Prep the snake gourd and wash well. Chop into small pieces. Snake gourd can be cooked in the gravy itself. Keep all the vegetables aside.

Pressure cook toor dal till done with turmeric and few drops of oil. Keep it aside.

Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, urad dal, curry leaves. When the mustard pops add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn colour. Add green chilies, red chilies. Saute for couple of minutes.

Then add finely chopped tomatoes. Add salt, turmeric powder, simmer till the tomatoes turn soft. Then add the vegetables, saute in oil for couple of minutes.

Next add the red chilli powder, followed by the tamarind pulp. Add 1 cup water and bring to boil. When it starts boiling, simmer and cook with lid covered for 15 mins.

Serve with steaming rice and potato chips

Boiling Vegetables in Microwave
Check out how to boil Drumstick, Arbi, Potatoes in Microwave.
Pappu Charu Recipe 1

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