Chinta chiguru pappu - Tender tamarind leaves dal

The tender tamarind leaves are available only in early spring season.  Lot of delicious preparations are made using the chinta chiguru or the tender tamarind leaves in Andhra cuisine like the Chinta chiguru pachadi, chinta chiguru pappu or chinta chiguru podi..  These sour green leaves when combined with a dal lend the dish a pleasingly wonderful flavour with a delicate undertone or sourness.  Now let us see how to make Chinta chiguru pappu with the tender tamarind leaves..

Ingredients required :

• Chinta chiguru ( tender tamarind leaves )  -  1 cup
• Remove the leaves from the stalks 
• Tur dal ( red gram )  -  1/2 cup
• Finely chopped onion  - 1 no
• Green chillies ( slit length-wise )  -  5 to 6 nos
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For tempering :

• Mustard seeds -  3/4 tbsp
• cumin seeds -  3/4 tbsp
• 5 to 6 garlic pods or asafoetida
• dry red chillies - deseed and tear into two -  3 to 4
• curry leaves -  12 to 14 

Method of preparation of Chinta chiguru pappu :

• Wash the tur dal and add 1 1/2 cup of water, turmeric, onion and green chillies to the washed dal and allow it to cook till half done i.e the dal should be half cooked
• Slightly crush the tender tamarind leaves with the hand and add to the half cooked dal.  Cover and cook on low flame till the leaves and dal are fully cooked and soft
• Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.  then add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, garlic and curry leaves and fry for few seconds till you find the flavo of the spices
• Add this tempering and salt to the cooked dal-tender leaves mixture, combine and cook for a minute.  Now turn off the flame and leave covered for a few minutes before serving

Serve this hot chinta chiguru pappu with hot steamed rice, ghee, pickle of your choice and papad or appadalu..

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If you want to know more about making andhra style pachallu ( andhra style chutneys ), please visit my blog on Telugu Pachallu...

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