Round Cucumber Dhal (Budamkai Pappu)
A delicious one-pot lentil curry with tender round cucumber. Perfect when served with rice and ghee, or paired with stir-fried ivy gourd.
Ingredients
For Tadka
- Oil - 6 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
- Cumin (Jeera) - 2 tsp
- Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1 tsp
- Garlic cloves - 4, chopped
- Onions - 2, chopped
- Coriander seeds (Dhaniya) - 1 tsp
- Black pepper - 1 tsp
- Turmeric - 2 tsp
- Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
- Curry leaves - a fistful
Main Ingredients
- Tomatoes - 3, chopped
- Round cucumber - 1, cut into chunks
- Toor dal - 1.5 cups
- Green chillis - 5
- Red chilli powder (plain) - 1 tsp
- Water - 4 cups
- Tamarind juice - 3 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Fresh coriander - for garnish
Instructions
Make the Tadka & Add Spices
Take a pressure cooker. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek seeds, chopped garlic, and onions. Let everything splatter and crackle for a minute. Then add coriander powder, black pepper, turmeric, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Mix well and sauté for a minute.
Add Main Ingredients
Add chopped tomatoes and round cucumber chunks. Stir well. Then add the toor dal and green chillis. Mix everything together and pour in 4 cups of water. Stir well to combine all flavors. If using a pressure cooker, place a glass or tumbler half filled with water inside the cooker to prevent water from leaking through the whistle.
Pressure Cook
Close the cooker lid and cook on medium-high heat. Let it whistle 7-8 times (cooking time may vary depending on your stove and cooker type).
Release Pressure & Finish
Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to settle completely before opening the lid. Add tamarind juice and adjust salt and red chilli powder as preferred. Now mash the dal well. If you prefer to keep the cucumber chunks intact, move them to a bowl before mashing, then add them back after.
Garnish & Serve
Garnish generously with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and ghee. You can also pair it with stir-fried ivy gourd for an authentic meal.
