Menthi kura Pappu | Andhra style Methi Dal

Menthi Kura Pappu recipe with step by step photos.Dal is a must in every meal across all the states in India just that the preparation process different from state to state.The south Indian version dal is made very thick and it consists of a tempering of mustard seeds and tamarind pulp is added in the dal which gives a distinct taste compared to the versions from the other states. I have already posted a typical Andhra version of Methi dal before and today I am posting a simple pressure cooker everyday dal version where the dal is cooked along with the spices and greens directly in the cooker.The preparation process is so verstaile that one can prepare various varieties of dals using the same process and it is a breeze to make using this version.

In Andhra, Menthi kura pappu is mixed with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee and it tastes so heavenly and the addition of a simple fry and fryums make the meal even more tastier.You can check out other Andhra style dal varieties here - Beerakaya Pappu, Gongura Pappu, Mamidikaya Pappu, Mamidikayi-Vankaya Pappu, Pesara Kattu, Palakura Pappu, Tomato Pappu.

Here is how to prepare the Andhra style Methi Dal recipe with step by step photos:

Menthikura Pappu | Methi Dal Recipe:

Serves 3-4 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: Andhra | Category: Sidedish

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Toor dal

1 1/2 cups Fenugreek leaves/Methi ,loosely packed

1 Onion, roughly chopped

1 Tomato, roughly chopped

1-2 Green chilies,slit into pieces

5-6 Garlic pods

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 small amla sized Tamarind

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Wash and soak the toor dal for 15-20 mins.
• Remove the fenugreek leaves from the stems and wash them and chop them roughly.
• Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of water and extract the juice and keep it ready.
• Heat oil in a cooker and crackle mustard seeds and then add sliced onions,green chilies and garlic cloves and fry them well until the onions turn translucent.

• Add chopped methi leaves and tomatoes and fry for 2-3 mins.
• Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt and fry for another couple of minutes.

• Add washed and drained toor dal and fry for a minute and add 1.5 cups of water and let it come to a boil.
• Close the lid and pressure cook it for 3 whistles and simmer the flame and cook it for another 7-8 minutes.

• Once the pressure drops take a dal masher(pappu gutti) and mash the dal nicely to get the uniform dal mixture and add the extracted tamarind juice and keep it again on high flame for another 3-4 mins until the dal is thick and uniform in consistency.

Serve it hot with hot steamed rice,ghee and papad or rotis/phulkas.

Notes:

1. This is a simpler version of dal but one can prepare the dal following a traditional way by cooking the dal with methi leaves and then do the rest of the process as mentioned above and add cooked and mashed dal( with leaves) to the fried onion tomato mixture and cook as above.
2. You can prepare various dals like Bottlegourd dal, tomato dal,Amaranth greens dal(thotakura pappu), Brinjal dal by following the same procedure.
3. The dal tastes better when it is made thick and cooked properly, hence adjust the water accordingly.

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