Tomato Pappu

Tomato Pappu is an integral.recipe of Andhra and Telangana region. 'Pappu' is the Telugu word for Dal. Hence the derivation 'Tomato Pappu' means when tomatoes and dal.are cooked together till a mushy texture is reached. The key factors of this recipe are the tomatoes and dal cooked together until mushy, the garlic tempering and a bit of ghee used in tempering. When having pappu with steamed rice , people enjoy adding a bit of ghee over the rice. As with any other recipe, there are a number of ways of cooking this recipe. Spinach or fenugreek leaves could also be added to the dal. Some like to pour the garlic tempering over the dal at the last stage. But personally I prefer to slightly saute garlic and then add the tomatoes and dal. By doing so, the garlic flavour mingles throughout the Pappu. Tomato Pappu is enjoyed when hot and served with steamed rice and ghee.