Mamidikaya Pappu (Mango Dal)

Mamidikaya Pappu is a traditional Andhra lentil dish made with cooked lentils and raw green mango, which adds a natural sourness. It is a simple dal where unripe mango is used as a souring agent instead of tomatoes or tamarind. Lightly spiced and gently tempered, this Andhra mango dal is commonly cooked during the summer mango season. It is usually served with steamed rice and a drizzle of ghee as a comforting everyday meal.

About This Mamidikaya Pappu

Raw green mangoes are used in many ways in Indian cooking, and one of the simplest is adding them to lentils and curries for natural sourness. 

Mamidikaya Pappu, also known as Andhra Mango Dal, is one such dish where raw mango is cooked with lentils to give a nice flavorful tang.

In Telugu, mamidikaya means mango and pappu means dal, so the name simply refers to mango cooked with lentils. If you enjoy tangy dals, you can also try my Tomato Pappu recipe.

I first tasted this mango dal during our trip to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, along with other varieties of pappu (lentils), pulusu (tamarind-based stews) and kura (curries)

The flavor stayed with me, and once I tried it at home, it quickly became a regular during the mango season.

I usually make it with tur dal and cook the mango separately, but you can also cook everything together in a pressure cooker and use moong dal instead.

Raw mango thickens the dal slightly, so adjust the water based on whether you prefer a thick or thinner consistency. This dal pairs best with steamed rice and a little ghee.

How to make Mamidikaya Pappu

Cook Lentils

1. In a 3 litre pressure cooker, take ½ cup tuvar dal. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

2. Then, add 1.75 to 2 cups water and mix everything. If using a smaller size cooker, add less water.

3. Pressure cook on medium heat for 7 to 8 whistles or for 10 to 12 minutes till the dal is cooked very well. For a smaller cooker, less time will be required for cooking dal.

4. When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the lid.

5. Mash the cooked dal with a spoon. Keep aside.

Making Mamidikaya Pappu

6. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Keep flame to a low and then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter.

7. Then, add 10 to 12 fenugreek seeds and 1 green chili, chopped. Instead of green chili, you can use 1 dried red chili (broken and seeds removed) or even use both.

8. Fry till the fenugreek seeds change color. Keep heat to low or if the pan has become too hot, then you can switch off the heat.

Then, add 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed lightly or chopped.

9. Fry till the garlic turns light golden.

10. Then, add ⅓ cup chopped onions and 8 to 10 curry leaves.

11. Mix and begin to sauté onions on low to medium-low heat till they turn translucent.

12. When the onions become translucent, add ½ cup chopped raw mango cubes and ¼ teaspoon red chili powder. Mix well.

For a spicier dal, you can add ½ teaspoon red chili powder. You can keep the peels on the mangoes if you prefer.

13. Then, add 1 cup water.

14. Cover the pan and cook the raw mango cubes till they soften.

15. Do check in between.

16. Cook till the mango pieces have softened. If you press the mango pieces, they should get mashed.

17. Now, add the cooked dal.

18. Season with salt as per taste.

19. Mix very well. If the dal looks very thick, then you can add some water.

20. Cook on a low heat for a few minutes or till the Mamidikaya Pappu comes to a boil.

21. Then, switch off the heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.

22. Serve hot Mamidikaya Pappu with steamed rice.

Expert Tips

1. I feel the combination of tuvar dal is really a hit with raw mangoes. You can even experiment with moong dal or an equal mix of tur and moong dal.
2. Try and make a no onion, no garlic version of this Andhra Mango Dal. After frying the fenugreek seeds, you can even add a pinch of hing (asafoetida) and some ginger.
3. The cooking time of the lentils will depend on the volume of your pressure cooker – that is how many liters of pressure cooker it is. Smaller ones take more whistles than the larger ones.
4. Adjust the consistency of Mamidikaya Pappu by adding less or more water. Less water for thicker and more water for medium consistency.

Andhra’s Must Try List

Andhra cuisine goes far beyond lentil dishes and includes many simple yet bold recipes that are full of flavor and easy to make at home. From everyday comfort food to popular snacks, there’s a lot to explore.

Begin with this Mamidikaya Pappu, a comforting lentil dish, and Gongura Pachadi, a bold and tangy chutney made with sorrel leaves.

For breakfast or brunch, try Pesarattu a dosa made with whole green gram, served with Allam Chutney (ginger chutney).

Other must-try dishes include Dibba Rotti a thick pancake that is crisp outside and soft inside, Nimmakaya Pulihora, a spiced lemon rice, Punugulu, crispy fritters made from idli or dosa batter, and Mirchi Bajji, battered and fried green chillies.

Festive sweets like Poornam Boorelu and Bobbatlu, stuffed with lentils and jaggery, round off the cuisine beautifully.

Mamidikaya Pappu recipe from the archives was first published on June 2018.