All of us at home are in a holiday mood. Our harvest festival, Sankranti is around the corner. House cleaning, shopping clothes for family and domestic help(s) and preparation of sweets/savories is in full swing. Its my favorite time of the year!
Bachala kura Pappu is a high protein, vegan, heart warming dish loaded with nutritious greens – Malabar spinach or Indian Spinach. They go by the name Bachali in Andhra, Basale in Kannada, Vaali Bhaji in Konkani, Mayalu in Marathi and Pui Shak in Bengali. These protein-rich, vibrant green, glossy leaves are thick with a spongy texture and when cut they ooze a slimy juice similar to okra. When cooked with dal, the sliminess is not evident though. We usually cook them with masoor or tur dal or with yam (kanda bachali) and as mustard powder based stew (ava pettina pulusu).
Bachala Kura Pappu Recipe
Preparation: 20 mts
Serves 3-4 persons
Cuisine: Andhra
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1 small cup tur dal/red gram dal/kandi pappu
2 cups chopped and tightly packed bachali kura/malabar spinach
1 onion, chopped
big pinch turmeric pwd
2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
salt to taste
2 cups water
1 tbsp tamarind paste
For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp urad dal/minappa pappu/split gram dal (optional)
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 dry red chillis, de-seed and tear
10-12 fresh curry leaves
2-3 tsps oil
1 In a pressure cooker, place dal, bachala kura, onions, green chilies, ginger and turmeric pwd. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook up to 2 whistles. If cooking over stove top, cook till the dal is almost cooked.
2 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds and as they jump around, add cumin seeds, urad dal, garlic, red chilies and curry leaves and stir fry for half a minute.
3 Add this to the pressure cooked dal along with salt and combine. Add tamarind paste with 1/2 cup of water and cook on slow to medium flame for 7-10 mts without lid or till you get the consistency of your choice.
4 Serve with white rice and a stir fry dish.
