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Indian Spicy Lentil Soup / Pappu Pulusu / Pappu Charu (Vegan, GF)

VegCookBook by Praveena
Easy Lentil Soup, is a South Indian style, Plant Based, Protein Rich Soup made with very few ingredients. Recipe below has step wise pics, tips for both Stove Top and Instant Pot Methods.
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Prep Time 3 minutes
Course Accompaniment, Dinner, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Sauce Pan / Vessel (for stove-top method)
  • Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker (for IP method)
  • Small Frying pan (for tempering)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Toor dal / Kandi Pappu / Yellow Lentils
  • 3 tablespoons  Tamarind puree
  • 3 count Onions (medium size)
  • 3 count Tomatoes (medium size)
  • 4 count Green Chillies (small size)
  • 1 tablespoon Rice flour (or) Chickpea flour (optional)
  • 1½ teaspoons Red Chilli Powder / Cayene Powder
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons Salt (or as per taste)
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar (or) Jaggery (or as per taste)
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder / Pasupu
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped)
  • as required  Water (to cook and boil)

Ingredients for Tempering (optional):

  • 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
  • 3 cloves Fresh Garlic (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds / Aavaalu
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds / Jeera
  • ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing / Inguva

Instructions
 

STOVE-TOP METHOD (time:25 mins)

  • Firstly, take the dal / lentils into a vessel and wash them twice thoroughly.
    Add thrice the amount water, onto the lentils.
  • Add all the chopped veggies to the vessel.
    Pour more water into the vessel, such that the lentils & veggies are dipped.
  • Close the vessel with lid, let it cook on stove top under high flame for 10 to 15 mins.
    After which, check if the dal is cooked or not, by pressing a lentil against 2 fingers.
  • After which, check if the dal is cooked or not, by pressing a lentil against 2 fingers.
    Add the red chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder, tamarind puree, sugar, 1½ cups of water, tablespoon of coriander and ginger-garlic paste (optional).
  • Mix everything, let it boil on stove top for 4 to 5 mins, under medium flame, until the soup forms bubbles.
  • At this stage, add the rice flour or chick pea flour to thicken.
    When it thickens as per your desired consistency, switch off the flame.
    Garnish with chopped coriander, add the tempering. Done!!

INSTANT POT METHOD(time:10 mins)

  • Take the lentils into the IP vessel, wash twice under running water.
    Add twice the amount of water. Set aside.
  • Transfer diced onions and tomatoes, slit green chillies, tamarind puree / dry tamarind to the IP vessel.
    Pour water such that everything is just dipped.
  • Switch the Instant Pot ON, set to Pressure Cook Mode, under high pressure, for 6 mins with valve closed.
  • Release the pressure naturally (NPR).
    Remove the lid, turn on the IP, set to Sauté Mode, for 2 mins
  • Add sugar, salt, red chilli powder / cayenne powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste (optional) and 1½ cups of water.
  • Let the soup boil. Add the rice flour (or) chick pea flour to thicken. Switch the IP off.
    Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, add the tempering. Done!!

TEMPERING (common for both methods):

  • If you wish to do the tempering, 
    Take all the ‘Ingredients for tempering’ into a small pan onto the stove top, and sauté them for 2-3 mins.
    Transfer this tempering onto the pulusu / soup in the vessel and mix everything gently. Done!!

Notes

Please see the MAIN POST for recipe with step wise pics & tips!!
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