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Andhra Tomato Pappu (Andhra Tomato Lentil Soup)

This is one of my favorite ways to make Dhal. It is very simple to make in the IP and has served as a complete meal on way too many occasions. This dish also happens to be the very first one that I really mastered.  It’s inspired by the ever so popular Andhra Tomato Pappu. Over the years, this has become my go-to comfort food, and I often crave for this Dhal on rice along with a few (or more) fresh potato chips. Sometimes life’s “most simple things can bring the most happiness.”

It is a pure vegetarian dish and almost a vegan one but for the butter in it. You can also make this dish gluten free, if you avoid the hing. Hing in its pure form is gluten free, but many vendors add wheat flour to reduce the intensity of its flavor.

Print Recipe

Andhra Tomato Pappu (Lentil Soup)

It is a pure vegetarian dish and almost a vegan one but for the butter in it. You can also make this dish gluten free, if you avoid the hing. Hing in its pure form is gluten free, but many vendors add wheat flour to reduce the intensity of its flavor.

Course

Soups/Lentils/Dhal

Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Passive Time

15 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 cup Toor dhal Yellow Lentil/Toor Dhal/Pigeon Pea
• 1 tsp Garlic and Ginger Paste or diced fresh
• 2 tbsp Butter Unsalted/Unsweetened
• 3 Green chile Serrano Pepper 2 or 3 large
• 1 Onion Large. Cut into cubes of medium size.
• 6 Tomatoes Romano Tomatoes. Cut the into cubes of medium size.
• 1.5 tbsp Salt approx. --add to taste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2.5 tbsp Sambar powder approx.
• Water

Dry Spices

• 1.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 2 tsp Urad Dhal Urad Dhal/Black Gram/white lentil
• 2 tsp Chana dhal Chana Dhal/Bengal Gram/split chickpeas
• 3 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Hing Asafoetida Powder
• 3 Red chile Whole Dried 3 to 5 to taste
• 8 Curry leaves leaves, optional
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil approx.

Garnish

• 1/2 Lemon optional
• Cilantro

Course Soups/Lentils/Dhal Cuisine Indian Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Passive Time 15 minutes Servings people Ingredients 1 cup Toor dhal Yellow Lentil/Toor Dhal/Pigeon Pea 1 tsp Garlic and Ginger Paste or diced fresh 2 tbsp Butter Unsalted/Unsweetened 3 Green chile Serrano Pepper 2 or 3 large 1 Onion Large. Cut into cubes of medium size. 6 Tomatoes Romano Tomatoes. Cut the into cubes of medium size. 1.5 tbsp Salt approx. --add to taste 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 2.5 tbsp Sambar powder approx. Water Dry Spices 1.5 tsp Mustard Seeds 2 tsp Urad Dhal Urad Dhal/Black Gram/white lentil 2 tsp Chana dhal Chana Dhal/Bengal Gram/split chickpeas 3 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Hing Asafoetida Powder 3 Red chile Whole Dried 3 to 5 to taste 8 Curry leaves leaves, optional 2 tbsp Vegetable oil approx. Garnish 1/2 Lemon optional Cilantro

Instructions

1. Pour the contents (except the curry leaves) of the dry spices into the Instant Pot Inner Pot (put the spices in one small area of the pan).
2. Pour the vegetable oil over the spices (just enough to soak the spices plus a little more).
3. Plug in the Instant Pot, press ‘sauté’ and ‘adjust’ to ensure the digital display is on ‘more.’ This is the high setting for sauté.
4. When you first hear the sound of the mustard seed "popping," pour the diced green chilies, butter, and ginger/garlic paste into the pan. Add the curry leaves. Stir until the butter melts and chilies and garlic/ginger paste mixes well together.
5. Adjust the ‘sauté’ temperature down if needed. Sauté for another 1 min.
6. Add onions to pan. Stir occasionally until the onions are soft, just until they are translucent.
7. Add salt, sambar powder, turmeric powder, and tomatoes. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, mix them well and let them cook together. Ensure you stir periodically for uniform cooking and mixing of spices (just fold it over using a spatula). Bring it to a boil. Adjust the sauté temperature as needed.
8. Turn off the Instant Pot
9. Add (1 cup) Dhal to the Inner Pot, add (4.5 to 6 cups of) water. Adjust water based on the consistency you are looking for.
10. On manual, under high pressure, with vent sealed, cook for 20 min. Let it cool down naturally.
11. Once the IP has cooled down, make sure there is no pressure in the cooker and that the (pressure) pin is down. Open the Cooker lid -- be careful, as the dhal will be extremely hot.
12. Add in fresh cilantro for garnish. Serve hot over rice.