Tomato Pappu (Classic Andhra Dal With Tomatoes)

Any ‘pappu, paruppu or parippu’ dish would be a lentil-based dish in South India. The same goes for the recipe of Tomato Dal. A specialty from Andhra Pradesh, Tomato Pappu is tangy curried lentils made with pigeon pea lentils (tuvar/arhar dal), plenty of tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices. Andhra cuisine is known for its bold and spicy flavors. But this Tomato Dal recipe is not hot and spicy, and makes for a comforting lunch or dinner with a side of steamed rice.

About Tomato Pappu

The Hindi word ‘dal’ is also called as ‘pappu’ in the Telugu language. Dal means ‘lentils’ and is a staple in homes across the Indian subcontinent.

There are many variations of making lentils which vary from state to state as well as from home to home. This Tomato Dal is one such variant.

This lentil delicacy Tomato Pappu is basically tur dal or arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) which is cooked with generous quantity of tomatoes.

It is a traditional lentil-based dish originating from Andhra Pradesh, and consisting of pigeon peas (toor dal) pressure-cooked and simmered with tomatoes, onions, green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder and a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves in ghee or oil.

Known for its tangy, mildly spicy flavor and comforting texture, this dal is typically served with hot steamed rice, a light drizzle of ghee, and a side of pickle or papad or vegetable stir-fry.

Apart from the soaking of the lentils and some prep work with the vegetables, there’s not much you have to do to cook this dal.

You can use ghee (clarified butter) for making the tempering of this Tomato Dal. But if you wish to have a completely vegan friendly dish, then use any neutral flavored oil for this recipe.

About My Recipe

Rest of the ingredients that go into making this Tomato Pappu are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, onion, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and ground spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder.

I would also not recommend to skip the asafoetida (hing), as it just elevates the flavors of this dish. If you wish to make a spicy dal, then just add more of green chilies and chili powder.

This Tomato Dal has the desired tang from the tomatoes. Here, I have made the tempering first and then sautéed the onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Later, arhar dal or toor dal (pigeon pea lentils) is added and cooked until the lentils are softened.

The result is a mild, slightly sour, yet delicious and comforting dal that is best had with steamed rice and a drizzle of ghee. Have a side vegetable dish or a vegetable raita and you get to enjoy a complete meal.

You can also enjoy the combination of Tomato Pappu and steamed rice with the classic Avakaya (Andhra Mango Pickle) for a comforting lunch or dinner.

How to make Tomato Pappu

Preparation

1. Pick and then rinse ½ cup pigeon pea lentils (arhar dal or tuvar dal) a couple of times in fresh water.

2. Soak the dal in water for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Later, drain all the water and keep the lentils aside.

4. Chop 1 medium onion, 2 medium tomatoes and 1 green chili. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making Tomato Pappu.

Temper Spices & Sauté Onions

5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil or ghee in a stovetop pressure cooker. Keep the heat to low or medium-low.

6. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds first.

7. Let the mustard seeds crackle.

8. Then, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter on low heat.

9. Next, add ⅓ to ½ cup chopped onions and 10 to 12 curry leaves.

10. Next, add the chopped green chili.

11. Sauté the onions on low to medium-low heat, stirring often, till they soften and turn translucent.

12. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.

For making ginger-garlic paste, you can crush 1 inch ginger and 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves to a paste in a mortar-pestle.

13. Sauté on low to medium-low heat for a few seconds or until the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic dissipates.

Sauté Tomatoes

14. Add about 1 to 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes. Stir and mix well.

15. Next, add the following – ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper), ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and salt as required.

Note: To make the dish gluten-free, skip adding asafoetida or include gluten-free asafoetida.

16. Stir to mix and sauté on medium to medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Make Tomato Pappu

17. Add the soaked tuvar dal.

18. Mix well and then add 2 cups water.

19. Stir and mix again.

20. Pressure cook on high heat for 7 to 8 whistles (9 to 10 minutes) or till the lentils are completely cooked and softened.

The number of whistles needed depends upon the size of the pressure cooker, the intensity of heat and quality of dal.

Aged dal takes more time to cook. So, for best taste, it is important to use fresh dal that is in its shelf life. Preferably try to use unpolished tur dal.

21. When the pressure drops naturally in the cooker, then only remove the lid.

22. Mash the dal lightly with a wooden spatula or spoon.

23. If the consistency of Tomato Dal is thick for you, then add water as required to get a medium consistency.

Mix well and simmer on low to medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes or till you get a consistency that is neither thin, nor thick but has a medium consistency. Stir dal at intervals, while it is simmering.

Check the taste of the dal and add more salt, if required. Switch off the heat.

24. Garnish Tomato Dal with chopped coriander leaves.

25. Serve Tomato Pappu hot or warm with steamed rice, avakaya, vegetable salad or any vegetable stir-fry that you prefer.

You could also serve with a side of Gongura Pachadi for a comforting Andhra style meal.

If you like, you can drizzle some ghee while serving. Leftovers can be used within a day. But keep the leftover dal refrigerated.

Variations

1. With Tamarind: Add a small marble-sized ball of tamarind (soaked in warm water and extracted) toward the end of cooking for a tangier flavor. This variation is common in some Andhra households.
2. Adding Spinach (Palakura Pappu): Add a handful of chopped spinach along with the tomatoes for a more nutritious version. It becomes a lovely combination of greens and lentils.
3. Garlic Flavor: Increase the number of garlic cloves in the tempering for a stronger garlicky taste, which many people love paired with rice and ghee.
4. Spicy Version: Add a teaspoon of red chili powder after sautéing the tomatoes for a spicier version. Some even add a pinch of garam masala, though it’s less traditional. You can also add more green chillies.
5. No Onion No Garlic Option: Skip onion and garlic entirely for a satvic or temple-style preparation. It still tastes delicious due to the tomatoes and tempering spices.

Expert Tips

1. Tomatoes: Use ripe and juicy tomatoes for the best taste. Slightly sour tomatoes add a beautiful tanginess.
2. Lentils: Use fresh lentils, which are in its shelf period. Don’t use aged tur dal. I recommend using unpolished tuvar dal for the best taste.
3. Red Chillies: Instead of green chilies, you can also add dried red chilies. Remember to remove their seeds.
4. Skipping Ginger: If you are not fond of ginger, then only add the garlic paste or finely chopped garlic.
5. Consistency: Adjust the water according to your preference. Some prefer a thicker consistency, while others like it slightly runny. So alter the consistency of this dal by adding more or less water.
6. Dal Texture: Mash the cooked dal lightly for a smoother texture. If you prefer chunky lentils, mash very lightly or skip it.
7. Gluten-free Lentils: For a gluten-free tomato dal, omit the asafoetida (hing) or use a gluten free asafoetida in this recipe.

FAQs

Tomato Pappu recipe from the archives was first published on September 2013.