Name: Tamil Nadu Paruppu Masiyal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Split Pigeon Peas, washed; 1½ cup Water, for pressure cooking; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric, for boiling; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; ½ tbsp Sesame Oil, gingelly oil preferred; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds, for tadka; ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds, for tadka; 1 Dried Red Chili Peppers, whole; 5 Curry Leaves, fresh; ⅛ tsp Asafoetida, hing

45 mintotal

35 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Load the washed pigeon peas, turmeric powder, and measured water into a pressure cooker. Add a minimal drop of sesame oil to mitigate frothing during the boil.
Secure the lid and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles, demanding the lentils reach an extremely soft, compromised state.
After natural depressurization, open the cooker. Mash the dal while hot with a wooden churner or ladle until smooth, then season with salt.
Heat the sesame oil in a small tempering pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Introduce the cumin seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Sauté briefly to bloom the spices.
Immediately decant the hot tempering over the mashed lentils, folding it in gently to preserve the aromatic layers.

How to tell it's done

A viscous, completely velvety, homogenized paste absent of any intact lentil structure.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

211kcal

Where the calories come from

Protein11.4 g21%
Carbohydrate32.9 g61%
Fat4.4 g18%

Saturated fat: 0.7 g
Fibre: 7.9 g
Sodium: 595 mg
Potassium: 733 mg
Calcium: 89 mg
Iron: 3.1 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Mash the paruppu while it is hot for the smoothest texture, and use gingelly oil for the tempering when available.

What to serve it with

Mix paruppu masiyal into hot white rice with ghee, and serve it with South Indian potato roast.

Common mistakes

The paruppu tastes oily or the tadka burns.: Mash the dal while hot, then keep the sesame-oil tempering controlled. Mustard seeds should pop, but the chillies and curry leaves should not blacken.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate paruppu masiyal in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently until hot; freeze for up to 2 months before adding a fresh tempering if possible.

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Ingredients