Instant Pot Dosakaya Pappu Recipe | Andhra Style

Dosakaya pappu is an easy and comforting dish made with lentils and Andhra yellow cucumber. This is a tangy and delicious dal that is great to serve with rice or roti.

I use the Instant Pot to make this Andhra pappu. But you can definitely use a regular pressure cooker. Try this delicious dosakaya tomato pappu recipe and I am sure you will love it.

About the Recipe

Lentils and legumes are the main source of protein in India, especially for vegetarians. They are part of everyday meals. I make dal or some kind of lentil dish at least once a day if not twice.

So here, I have an Andhra pappu or dal recipe. In Telugu, 'pappu' refers to any dal or lentil preparation. This dosakaya pappu refers to dal made with dosakaya.

Dosakai or lemon cucumber is a round, tennis ball sized yellow colored cucumber. It has the same crisp texture as regular cukes but has a slight sour-tart taste. The seeds can sometimes be bitter. They are great to cook with and can also be eaten raw in salads.

In this dosakaya pappu recipe, lemon cuke is cooked along with lentils, tomato and other ingredients. Once done, a crunchy tempering or tadka is added for extra flavor and deliciousness. Serve with rice or even roti for a wholesome and tasty meal.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Most of the ingredients needed for this recipe are basic pantry stuff. Here is what you need to make this Andhra style cucumber dal:

• Dosakaya - this yellow round or oblong shaped cucumber is widely sold in Indian groceries and many Asian stores.
  • To prepare it, peel the skin and half it. There are seeds in the middle. First order of business before cooking is to taste the seeds and the flesh separately. They should taste slightly sour and tart.
  • If either of them taste bitter, then determine how bitter they are. Some of the bitterness can be tamed with cooking but if it tastes too bitter - please chuck it and use another one.
  • You can also use either English or American style cucumbers.
• Lentils or Dal - you can use either toor dal or masoor dal (dried red lentils).

Other ingredients that you need:

• chopped tomato, optional
• chopped onion, optional
• green chilies
• for tempering: mustard & cumin seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves
• red chili powder, turmeric and salt

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

This Instant pot dosakaya pappu takes just a few minutes to put together. There is no grinding or other preparations required.

Start by prepping the dosakai. Peel the skin and cut it in half and then into quarters. This is the time to take a taste test of the flesh and seeds separately. If the seeds taste bitter, then use a spoon to scoop them out. Then chop it into bite size pieces.

Wash and drain toor or masoor dal thoroughly.

Combine the chopped cuke along with lentils, onion & tomato (if using), green chilies, turmeric, salt and water. Give a stir and lock the lid. Put the steam valve to 'sealing' and cook for 8 minutes on High Pressure/ Manual for toor dal or 6 minutes on High pressure for masoor dal.

When the timer sounds, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, quick release the remainder. Open the lid and stir everything together.

In a small saucepan, heat oil, add mustard and cumin seeds, dry red chili and cook till they start to pop. Then add curry leaves, asafetida and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the tempering to the cooked dal. Mix well and serve hot with rice and ghee.

Tips

• This Andhra style cucumber dal recipe is traditionally made with dosakaya or yellow round/ oblong cukes. But you can also use either English or American style cucumbers.
• If using other type of cukes or if the lemon cuke is not sour enough, then add lemon juice or tamarind paste to give flavor to the dal.
• Make sure to take the cuke before using. There are chances that the flesh or seeds might be bitter.
• Leftover dal can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Omit onion if you are not a big fan.
• Add 1~2 crushed garlic cloves for extra flavor along with the veggies in the Instant pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might also like

Here are a few more dosakaya recipes that you might like. I have also included English dosakai recipe.

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.