Paruppu Thogayal
Paruppu Thogayal | Lentils Dip - Well roasted golden brown lentils, coarsely ground along with smoked tamarind & other seasonings.
Ingredients
For Roasting
- ⅓ Cup Tuvaram Paruppu | Yellow Split peas
- ⅓ Cup Kadala Paruppu | Bengal Gram
- 1 teaspoon Milagu | Black Peppercorns
- 6 no's Garlic cloves Medium sized, About 6-7, optional
- 3 tablespoon Fresh grated coconut
- 6 no's Vatha Milagai | Red chillies About 5-6
Other Ingredients
- Marble sized Tamarind
- Salt to taste
- A pinch Asafoetida
Instructions
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Insert the tamarind onto a skewer and roast this on the direct flame until it changes colour on all sides, approx for 1-2 minutes . Then add little water, soak for few minutes and extract the juice.
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Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan on med-high flame and add the garlic cloves. Keep stirring for 30 seconds and then add the black peppercorns, stirring for another 30 seconds.
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Then reduce the flame to medium, add the lentils and keep stirring frequently until it turns golden brown.
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When it starts changing colour, add the chillies and keep stirring until the raw smell of all the ingredients goes off and both the lentils emit a nice aroma.
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Turn off the flame and add asafoetida & grated coconut. Stir it well and the heat of the pan is enough to roast the coconut. Transfer everything to a plate. Let the roasted ingredients cool.
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Now add everything into a mixer along with salt and the tamarind extract. Grind it to a thick coarse paste by adding a tablespoon of water at intervals; as and when needed to grind.
Recipe Notes
- Always use freshly grated coconut for Indian cooking unless specified otherwise or when you don't have access to the fresh coconut. There is a significant taste difference if we use the dry version or the desiccated one. When you use, reduce the amount a little. For the above recipe 2 tablespoon is enough if you are using the desiccated coconut.
- The key to achieving a great tasting thogayal is to roast the paruppu (lentils) well. They should become brown. If not the raw smell of the dahl gives the dish a different taste, not in a good way.
- Roasting the tamarind imparts a nice and distinctive flavour to this dish. You can also use normal tamarind if you are not able to do it.