Dosakaya Pappu

Also know as yellow cucumber daal.

Andhra cuisine is not only about special dishes, but also the everyday cooking. One such dish is daal, or as we call it, pappu, which is made in a variety of styles and tastes. Here I am

making dosakaya pappu. Dosakaya is yellow cucumber which tastes a little sour, but can also be a little bitter. It is best practice to taste the dosakaya raw before using it in your cooking, so as to make sure the dish will not be bitter.

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Serves 4-5 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized dosakaya

• 1 cup toor daal (pigeon peas)

• 2 green chilies

• 2 dried red chilies

• 1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)

• 1/2 tsp of jeera (cumin seeds)

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste

• sprig of curry leaves

• pinch of hing (asafatida)

• 1 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Pressure cook daal with slit green chilies and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.

2. Peel the skin of dosakaya and cut into pieces. Cook with little water until tender.

3. Roast methi seeds, red chilies and powder. I use mortar and pestle.

4. Combine daal, tamarind paste, salt to taste, and powder. Let it come to a boil.

5. For tempering, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, chopped curry leaves to remaining ghee. Add to daal when seeds start to splutter. Garnish with little cilantro if you like.

6. Please note that those who like the taste of garlic can add few chopped garlic cloves to the tempering.

7. Serve with hot rice, ghee and papad.