Something other than Sambaar / Pappu Chaaru (Lentil Soup with veggies)

Something other than Sambaar / Pappu Chaaru (Lentil soup with veggies)

Sometimes sambaar gets too redundant and I feel like making something other than sambaar. Thats when I make Pappu chaaru or Pappu kattu. I donot know where these chaarus and kattus originated from, but since I learned to make them from my Mom, I too make them at home. Pappu kattu is little different from Pappu chaaru, I will blog that later sometime. Pappu chaaru means nothing but Pappu meaning daal and chaaru meaning rasam or soup. Only difference is that in rasam many people dont add daal or any veggies. Here in sambaar or pappu chaaru you can add a variety of veggies like - anapakaya (bottle gourd), drumsticks, pearl onions, tomatoes, regular onions, lady's finger (bendi), brinjal (eggplant), carrots, beans etc.,. I made with what I had in my fridge...only pearl onions and anapakaya :( . The only difference between this and sambaar is that the main ingredient of sambaar which is sambaar powder doesnot go in it. So Pappu chaaru = sambaar - sambaar powder. So easy right!!...trust me it is!!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cooked daal (toor daal, khandi pappu)
triple the amount of water as of daal (or to whatever consistency you like)
12-15 pieces of cut anapakaya (bottle gourd)
15 pieces of pearl onions
1 tomato
1 onion (chopped into big pieces)
3-4 thai green chillies
you can add any other veggies you like
1 lemon ball size tamarind ( soaked in warm water, and strain out the pulp)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Garnish with coriander leaves

Tempering:

3-4 cloves of garlic ( smashed a bit)
1/4 tsp urad daal
1/4 tsp jeera
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 whole red chillies broken into halves5
5-6 curry leaves
1-2 tbsp oil
a big pich of hing / inguva

Method:

In a pot add a small amount of water, add the veggies including the onions, green chillies, tomato and salt. Cook until everything is cooked but not soft or smooshy. Add turmeric, chilli powder and tamarind juice to it. Then add the cooked daal and three times the water. Cook for 5 min. until well combined. If you think its too thin or watery, add more daal or if its too thick, add more water. In a separate pan for tempering, add oil, garlic, urad daal, jeera and mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add red chillies, curry leaves and hing. Mix this into the pappu chaaru mixture and stir. Let the whole come to a boil once before turning off the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy!!! :)

TIP: Do not add the tamarind with the veggies in the beginning, the veggies will not cook. If you think its not sour enough, add lemon juice or more tamarind juice. Tomatoes can get smooshy but if you dont want smooshy tomatoes, add them towards the end, same goes with the onions.