Palakura Pappu

Palakura pappu is a simple andhra style lentil dish cooked with indian spinach and tempered with spices. This is usually served with rice or chapati. In this post I have shared 2 methods to make palakura pappu. The first one is the traditional method made by pressure cooking. The second one is the dry palakura pappu which is cooked in a pan or pot with moong dal.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Servings3

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

½ cup dal (pappu, Toor dal or moong dal)
1¼ cup water (¾ cup for podi pappu/dry version)
100 grams (about 3 to 4 ounces) spinach (1 small bunch of palakura)
1 to 2 green chili slit (omit for kids)
1 small (2 tablespoons) onion (optional, sliced or chopped)
1 small (¼ cup) tomato (optional, deseeded and chopped)
1 garlic (clove, optional)
⅓ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoons tamarind (soaked in ¼ cup hot water or 1 tbsp lemon juice)
⅛ teaspoon turmeric

To Temper (Thalimpu)

1½ tablespoon oil or ghee
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 dried red chili (broken)
1 green chili (chopped, optional for extra heat or use ⅓ tsp red chili powder)
1 garlic (cloves crushed or chopped)
1 sprig curry leaves (pat dry to avoid splatters)
1 pinch hing ( asafoetida, optional)

Optional To Garnish

6 curd chilies

How to make the recipe

Pot-in-pot pressure cooker

Add dal to a large bowl and rinse it well. Pour fresh water to cover the dal. Add onions, tomatoes, chilies, garlic, tamarind water (start with less), salt, turmeric and chopped palak on top of the dal. Place it in the cooker.
Cover and pressure cook for 4 whistles or 10 to 12 mins in the Instant pot. When the pressure drops, open and mash slightly. Taste test, adjust salt and tamarind to taste.
Temper - Thalimpu: Pour ghee to a small tadka pan and heat it. Add cumin, mustard, red chili, chopped green chili (for extra hot) and garlic. When the spices splutter add curry leaves and hing. Turn off. (If you want you may add ⅓ tsp red chili powder for green chilies at this stage) Pour this to the cooked palakura pappu.

Cook directly in Cooker or a Pot

Add dal to a sauce pan or cooker. Rinse well a few times. Drain the water and pour fresh water. Add all the optional ingredients - onions, tomatoes, garlic and green chilies. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium heat or for 10 mins in the Instant pot.
When the pressure drops, open the lid and add the chopped palakura. Let cook until it wilts completely. Stir in tamarind water, turmeric and salt. Mash it slightly. If your pappu is too thick pour little hot boiling water to bring to a consistency.
Make the thalimpu following the above instruction.

Podi Palakura Pappu (no onion)

Rinse dal in a pot and pour ¾ cup water. Optionally add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat and reduce to medium. Cook until pappu is tender, hold shape and fully cooked but not mushy.
Stir in the spinach, turmeric and salt. While it cooks, heat a small pan with ghee or oil. Add the curd chilies (optional), fry till they turn crispy. Remove them immediately to prevent burning. Keep aside.
Next add mustard, cumin, garlic, red chili/green chili when they begin to splutter add curry leaves and hing.
When the spinach wilts and is cooked through, pour the tempering to the pappu & mix well. Taste test and adjust salt. Turn off and let rest for 5 mins. Squeeze some lemon juice and garnish with the fried curd chilies.

NUTRITION (estimation only)