Chukkakura Pappu (Khatta Palak Dal) & Carrot Salad

Ingredients:
For Chukkakura Pappu:

• Tur Dal- 1/2 cup or little more (Kandhi pappu)
• Water- 3/4 cup or more
• Chukkakura leaves- 1 to 1 1/2 cup chopped and washed
• Salt- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

For Tempering:

• Oil- 1-2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilies 2-3 broken into pieces
• Green chilies- 3-5 split in half vertically
• Garlic cloves- 5-6 peeled
• Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp

For Carrot Salad:

• Carrot- 1-2 peeled and grated
• Onion- 1 small, finely chopped
• Green Chilli- 1 finely chopped
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice- 1/2 to 3-4 tsp or half of a lemon.

Method:
For Chukkakura Pappu:

1. Dry roast tur dal and boil it in a dish with water. Cover with lid to cook the dal faster.
2. Now wash the chopped leaves to remove mud and dirt. Add to the dal and mix well.
3. Cook with closed lid on simmer. It takes around 7-12 minutes to cook. MAke sure there is sufficient water, so that the bottom of the dish does not burn. 
4. Keep mixing it in between.
5. As the leaves change color, add salt, turmeric powder and mix. 
6. Prepare tempering by heating oil in a small pan. To this add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies and asafoetida. Then add garlic cloves and green chilies.
7. Once the mustard splatters, turn off the heat and add this tempering to the dal.
8. Mix well and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes. 
9. The flavors of the tempering should infuse into the dal. 
10. Turn off the heat and it is ready to serve with rice, roti or jowar roti. 

Carrot Salad:

1. This carrot salad is a great combination with the dal. 
2. Just toss together the grated carrot, chopped onion, chopped green chilli and add salt, black pepper powder. 
3. Squeeze half a lemon  and mix well. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Then it is ready to serve with the dal. 

Tips:

1. You can add sliced onion and tomato to the dal. 
2. As the chukkakura leaves and quite tangy unlike the spinach leaves we need not add any tamarind. 
3. But if you prefer your dal very tangy you can add a small piece of tamarind while cooking the dal.
4. The cal can also be prepared in a cooker. You can either cook the dal and leaves separately or together in the cooker for 3 whistles.  
5. Just add final tempering, mix and let it cook for 3 minutes without the lid.