From the recipe box
Pappulusu (Tomato Onion Stew Style Dal)
Kooras, pappus, rasam, pulusu, kootu, and the modular sides that build a Telugu thaali.
- Protein
- Toor dal
- Meal format
- South Indian Thaali Items
- Base
- Rice, Millets, Grains
Tomato, Onion, Toor dal (Kandi pappu)
From my kitchenCook this meal
Ingredients & method
- Prep
- 10 mins
- Cook
- 25 mins
- Total
- 35 mins
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 cuptoor dal (kandi pappu), cooked until soft and mashed
- 1½-2 cupswater (adjust based on desired consistency)
- to tasteSalt
- 2medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1medium onion, diced
- 1-2green chilies, slit
- 1-2 teaspoonstamarind paste OR tamarind extract from a small lemon-sized piece of tamarind
- 1-2 teaspoonsjaggery (bellam), to balance the flavors
- ¼ teaspoonturmeric powder
- 1-2 tablespoonsoil or ghee
- ½ teaspoonmustard seeds
- ½ teaspooncumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 teaspoonsplit urad dal
- 1 teaspoonchana dal
- 3-5garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-2dried red chilies
- 5-6curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoonhing (asafoetida)
Notes & Tips
- Pappulusu sits beautifully between a rasam and a dal — it has the comforting richness of dal with the tangy, flowing quality of a pulusu.
- The consistency should not be watery like rasam. It should coat rice generously while still being pourable.
- The balance of tomato tang, tamarind sourness, and jaggery sweetness is what makes this dish special.
- Garlic is optional — it adds a deeper flavor but the dish is delicious without it as well.
- This is a perfect everyday comfort dish with hot rice and a spoonful of ghee.
Step by step
Method
- 01
Wash and pressure cook the toor dal until soft. Mash well and keep aside.
- 02
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
- 03
Add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, garlic (if using), dried red chilies, curry leaves, and hing. Sauté until fragrant.
- 04
Add diced onions and sauté until they soften.
- 05
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and break down.
- 06
Add turmeric, tamarind, jaggery, salt, and water. Mix well and let it simmer until the flavors come together.
- 07
Add the cooked toor dal and mix well.
- 08
Adjust the consistency with water as needed. Pappulusu should be thicker and more indulgent than a rasam, but lighter and more flowing than a thick dal or pappu.
- 09
Simmer for a few more minutes until everything combines well.
- 10
Serve hot with rice and ghee.
