Thotakura Pappu / Amaranthus Leaves Dal / Chavleri ki Dal

Thotakura Pappu / Amaranthus Leaves and Lentils / Koyagura Pappu

Thotakura also known as Koyagura in Telugu and amaranthus leaves in English is a highly nutritious green leafy vegetable that is very popular in India. It is packed with
anti-oxidants, proteins, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium and carbohydrates. This itself is a complete balanced food. Amaranthus leaves should be included in everyday meals.

There are various ways to include amaranthus in our meals. We can prepare stews, curries, fries, vadas ( fritters ), soups and the list goes on. Today's post is a very common dish that is prepared in every household in Andhra Pradesh - Thotakura Pappu.

Here, amaranthus leaves are cooked along with toor dal and tempered with spices. This dish goes well with both rice and chapathi. Here is my version of amaranthus leaves and lentils curry ...

Preparation

Select tender amaranthus leaves.

Clean the amaranthus leaves along with stems. Discard the stems if they are not tender. Wash them nicely with water and chop them finely. Keep aside. Take toor dal in pressure cooker and wash it once with water. Strain the water.

Add amaranthus leaves to the dal along with tomatoes and green chillies.

Add enough water and cook on medium to high flame until 3 whistles or until it becomes soft. Allow it to cool. Once cool, remove the lid and take the cooked tomatoes into a plate.

Mash them well with the back of a ladle. Keep this aside.

Mash the cooked toor dal along with leaves and keep aside.

Heat a vessel and add oil.

Once the oil is heated, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.

When they splutter, add garlic and fry for a minute.

Add curry leaves, dry red chillies and hing.

Fry until the curry leaves withers and add chopped onion and green chillies and curry leaf powder.

Fry until the onions turn pink. Now add mashed tomatoes and turmeric powder.

Mix well and saute for 3-4 minutes. Now add the mashed dal to the tomato mixture and mix well.

Check for salt and spice. If you want it more spicy, add chilli powder and allow it to come to a boil.

Check for the consistency as well. If you serving it along with chapathi, then let it be a little thick, do not add too much water. If you serving it with rice, then add little water so that it wiil be easy to mix with rice. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with a dollop of ghee on hot steamed rice.

Ingredients

Amaranthus Leaves 1 bunch
Toor Dal 1/2 cup
Tomatoes 2 big
Green Chillies 2 slit lengthwise
Salt To taste
Chilli Powder as per your taste buds
Coriander Leaves to garnish.

For Tadka

Oil 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds a big pinch ( 1/4 tsp )
Garlic 10-12 pods
Curry Leaves few sprigs
Dry Red Chillies 2
Onion 1/2 chopped
Green Chillies 3
Curry Leaf Powder 1 tsp ( Optional )
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Clean the amaranthus leaves along with stems. Discard the stems if they are not tender.
2. Wash the leaves well with water and chop them finely.
3. Take toor dal in a pressure cooker and add leaves to this dal.
4. Drop in tomatoes and green chillies and pressure cook until 3 whistles or until soft.
5. Allow the cooker to cool.
6. Once cool, take the tomatoes into a plate and mash them with the back of a ladle. Keep this aside.
7. Mash the dal with the leaves as well and keep aside.
8. Heat a vessel or a pan and add oil.
9. Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Allow them to splutter.
10. Add garlic pods and fry until they get a slight colour.
11. Add curry leaves and dry red chillies . Fry for a minute or so.
12. Add chopped onion and green chillies and curry leaf powder. Fry until the onion turn pink in colour.
13. Add the mashed tomatoes and turmeric powder and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
14. Pour in the mashed dal-leaves mixture.
15. Add water as per your desired consistency.
16. Add salt and chilli powder if you want it more spicy.
17. Allow it to come to a boil.
18. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice with a dollop of ghee.

Notes

• I like lots of garlic in my dals, if you wish you can reduce the number of garlic pods.
• Garam Masala or Sambar Powder can be added to enhance the flavour.
• This dish can also be prepared with moong dal instead of toor dal.
• Adding curry leaf powder is optional. Curry leaves helps to increase the digestion power and is good for health. My family removes the curry leaves, hence I add the curry leaf powder. But this is purely optional.
• Tamarind can be added in place of tomatoes.
• A combination of green leafy veggies ( thotakura, pala kura, bachchali kura, ponnaganti kura, etc., ) can be added to make it more healthy.