South Indian Style Toor Dal | Arhar Dal recipe | Thuvaram Paruppu

South Indian Style Toor Dal | Arhar Dal recipe | Thuvaram Paruppu


Author: Rumki Paul https://www.facebook.com/rumkisgoldenspoonhttps://www.instagram.com/rumkis.golden.spoon/https://www.pinterest.com/Rumkisgoldenspoon/https://twitter.com/RumkiSpoon
Course: Main
Cuisine: South Indian
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Persons

South Indian Style Toor Dal is a south Indian delicacy and an authentic flavoured recipe for arhar dal. It is hugely popular in South India and referred as “Thuvaram paruppu”. In this recipe, Toor Dal (Split pigeon peas) is cooked with Onion, Tomato, Coconut in some specific spices and Tamarind water. This recipe for Arhar dal is a perfectly balanced dish of taste and health. This delectable dal goes amazing with steamed Rice and makes a complete meal when accompanied with Papad.

I have learnt this South Indian Style Toor Dal recipe from one of my Telugu roommates during my bachelor days in Bengaluru, away from home and Mom’s food. One day, she cooked this pappu recipe, I mean dal recipe in hostel and I loved it. In fact, when I visited my home, I prepared this dish and all my family loved it very much. Now, my mom prepares this dish quite regularly.

South Indian Style Toor Dal is a very simple and easy recipe. It gets prepared very easily without investing much effort and time. It requires typical ingredients of south Indian kitchen pantry to prepare this dal. This recipe of Toor Dal can be a healthy addition to your regular diet.

Recipe for Arhar Dal

Toor dal or Tur dal is known by many different names. In few places, it is famous as Arhar dal and in few places, it is also referred as Tuvar dal. Many classic Indian dishes are prepared with this dal.

I am born and bought up in Assam and Arhar dal recipe is prepared quite differently there. As a Bong, I have seen Bengalis to prepare Tuvar dal recipe in another way.

In short, in every region and states of India, recipe for Arhar dal is prepared in different ways with their own regional flavours. There are hundreds of dal recipes that are prepared with this Arhar dal.

Arhar dal is a versatile legume and many other recipes are prepared with it other than dal recipes like vegetable curry, stuffing, pakoda etc.

South Indian Style Toor Dal recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and Toor Dal.

Health benefits of Toor dal (Split pigeon peas)

What type of Coconut to be used for the dal recipe?

You can use both freshly grated coconut and desiccated Coconut for the recipe of Tur dal. But the fresh coconut must be cooked a bit longer than desiccated coconut until the raw flavour goes away. Coconut is an essential component of South Indian Style Toor Dal. It makes the dal more flavourful and delicious.

How to add tanginess to the dal recipe?

To add a bit of tanginess, you can use Tamarind pulp water to the Dal. It infuses a nice flavour and taste into the dal recipe. If you don’t have Tamarind pulp, then you can substitute it with freshly squeezed Lemon juice.

How to make Arhar dal?

In this recipe of Indian dal, first I have washed the dal thoroughly. Then I have pressure cooked the dal in salted water in medium flame for 3 whistles. I have used pressure cooker to cook the dal, but you can use Karahi or pan to cook it. It will take a bit longer to get cooked in Karahi.

In this recipe, I have used Olive oil to make the dish healthier. You can also use Coconut oil, Ghee or any kind of edible Oil as per your preference.

I have used Mustard seeds, Curry leaves and whole dry red Chilli for tempering the South Indian Style Toor Dal. It gives a typical south Indian aroma to the dal. Other than these, I have used red Chilli powder, Sambar masala and chopped Cilantros for flavouring. I have added Sambar masala which I bought from the supermarket. If you have homemade Sambar masala then nothing can be better than that.

In the dahl recipe, other than Coconut, I have also added thinly sliced Onions, Ginger paste and Tomatoes. The amalgamation of south Indian spices and coconut creates an outstanding flavour to the South Indian Style Toor Dal.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal, 1 cup
• 2½ cups of Water, to cook the Dal
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 1 Tomato, deseeded and small diced
• 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
• 3 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Tamarind water
• 2 tablespoons Coconut, fresh or desiccated
• 1 Whole dry red Chilli
• 8-10 Curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red Chilli powder
• 1 tsp Sambar masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking
• 1 cup Water, Quantity may vary according to preferred consistency

1. Wash the dal until the bubbles go away.
2. Transfer the dal into a pressure cooker. Add Salt and water and give a nice stir. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and put it on flame.
3. Cook it in medium flame for 3-4 whistles (the number of whistles can vary as per quality of Dal and region in which it is getting cooked).
4. Let the pressure settle down. Keep the dal aside.
   

5. Put a pan on flame and let it become completely dry.
6. Add oil into the pan.
7. Once the Oil is hot, add Mustard seeds, Curry leaves and whole dry red Chilli and let them crackle.
   

8. Add the Onions and cook it for 2-3 minutes in medium high flame until it becomes translucent.
   

9. Add Ginger paste into the pan and cook it for 2 minutes in low flame until the raw smell goes away.
   

10. Add Tomatoes into the pan and mix it well.
    

11. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 2 minutes.
12. Add Salt, Turmeric powder, red Chilli powder and give a nice mix
    

13. Cook it in lowest flame for a minute.
14. Add Coconut into the pan and give a nice mix.
    

15. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 2 minutes.
16. Add Sambar masala powder into the pan and mix it well. Cook it for another minute in lowest flame.
    

17. Add the boiled Dal (Step 4) into pan and mix it properly.
    

18. Add 1 cup water into the pan and give a nice stir.
    

19. Cover the pan and cook it in high flame until the dal simmers.
20. Add Tamarind water into the pan and give a nice mix.
    

21. Sprinkle some chopped Cilantros in the pan and stir it.
    

22. Cook it for another minute in lowest flame.
23. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

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