Mamidikaya Vankaya Pappu | Raw Mango-Brinjal Dal

Few combinations work like a charm and this dal is one such example.Though raw mango dal is quite common all over Andhra ,brinjal dal is familiar only in few regions like Rayalaseema of Andhra. Dal with mango and brinjal is an unusual combination so I am not sure if any one is aware of this combination in a dal but my mom used to make it often and I developed the taste for it from childhood. It is commonly served with rice or ragi mudde at my house.When ever my mom makes raw mango dal or mango-brinjal dal,she always cooks the tough seed of raw mango (it is called mamidi tenka in telugu)in dal and I always used to demand that my portion of dal should contain at least one seed of raw mango..trust me!!.its quite fun to use your fingers and tongue to squeeze out that extra sourness from that mango seed. While I am not sure if you would like this combination when you have it for the first time , but it is definitely worth a try. The sourness from raw mango and the unique flavor and taste of brinjal mixed with a big dollop of ghee with hot rice will definitely make you lick your fingers.This dal is made bit thick when served with rice and bit thin when served with ragi mudde.
Mamidikaya-Vankaya Pappu | Raw Mango-Brinjal Dal Recipe:
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Toor dal
1 small sour raw Mango
2 medium tender Brinjals
1 Onion,finely chopped
5-6 Green chillies,slit
5-6 Garlic pods
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

for tadka:
1 tbsp Oil/ghee
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
5-6 Curry leaves
a pinch of Hing
Method:

• Scrape out the raw mango skin and slice it roughly.
• Slit brinjal into 4 parts and slice them thin.
• Wash the toor dal and soak for 10-15 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add slit green chillies and garlic pods and fry them well.
• Add finely chopped onions and fry well.Add slit brinjal pieces and fry until they turn slightly soft.
• Remove the mixture and place it in a container which fits in the pressure cooker.Add the raw mango pieces to it.
• Pressure cook toor dal(add turmeric in it) and brinjal-mango mixture in separate containers for 3 whistles.Pressure cooking them separately ensures that dal is cooked properly.
• Once the pressure drops mix in the cooked brinjal-mango mixture in the dal and add salt and let it come to a boil.Add water to the dal according to the required consistency,this dal should be slightly thick.
• Meanwhile in a small tadka pan heat oil/ghee and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
• Add curry leaves and hing to it and fry for half a minute and add this tadka to the boiling dal and switch off the flame.

Serve it hot with steaming hot rice with a big dollop of ghee and papadam/fryums.
Notes:

• While cooking mango dal,always keep in mind that dal and mango should be cooked separately else there might be chances that the sourness in raw mango will not let the dal cooked completely.
• For a vegan version use only oil and avoid ghee in the recipe.
  

Variations:

• You can follow the same method and make dals like brinjal,raw mango,bottle gourd,ridge gourd and palak.The dals taste good as they are,in case you need sourness add some tamarind extract to dal.
• You can also replace green chillies with red chili powder,taste wise both tastes nice and only you will notice the color difference.
  

Can you see that mango seed(mamidi tenka) in dal in the above picture? That is my favorite part when ever I make raw mango dal or this mango-brinjal dal.I just love to make my hands messy squeezing out the extra juice and enjoying the sourness of raw mango seed..and talking all these my mouth is already watering and I wish this mango season we get good quality of mangoes.