Palakura Pappu
Andhra-style toor dal cooked with spinach — simple, comforting and best with steamed rice and ghee.
Ingredients · tap to tick off
- 1 cup toor dal (arhar dal)
- 2 cups palak (spinach), washed & chopped
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 medium tomato (chopped)
- 3–4 garlic cloves (crushed or sliced)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- Tamarind juice
- Water as needed
- 1–2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- 8–10 curry leaves
- A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Contains, from the ingredient list: Dairy, Mustard. Always check product labels and swap to suit your needs.
Method
Cook the dal
Wash toor dal and pressure cook with enough water for 3–4 whistles until soft . Mash lightly and keep aside, prepare tadka
Heat oil/ghee, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and hing . Let it splutter and turn aromatic.
Add chopped onion, garlic ,tomato, crushed garlic and spinach . Cook with a little water until everything softens, combine
Add the cooked dal to the spinach mixture.
Add salt, tamarind juice and let it simmer for 5–7 minutes for flavors to blend.
Serve hot with steamed rice and a drizzle of ghee for ultimate comfort!
Published 31 Mar 2026 · Antara’s kitchen notes
