Thotakura Pappu Recipe

Thotakura pappu is a comforting and hearty dal. It is a traditional Andhra style side that appears in many Telugu homes almost every week.

This is an easy recipe to make with fresh amaranth leaves or thotakoora and toor dal. A great side dish for both rice and roti.

About the Recipe

Green leafy vegetables are a big part of Indian cuisine. We love using them with everyday dishes like in this kanda bachali kura or palak pulusu or these spinach masala vada.

In addition to spinach, there are quite a few other local greens that are commonly used in every day cooking. Thotakura (amaranth greens), bachali kura (malabar spinach) and chukkakura are some of the popular ones.

Thotakoora aka amaranth greens, rajgira leaves is one of my favorite leafy vegetable to grow in my container garden. It is a little heartier than spinach but cook down pretty easily. They have a pleasant earthy taste. This dal is one of the first dishes I make when I harvest my greens. Amaranth leaves are easily available in most Indian and even Asian stores.

This thotakura dal is an easy to make dish that is hearty and delicious. I love to serve it with either rice or roti.

Ingredients

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

Here are the ingredients you need to make this totakura/ thotakura pappu recipe:

• Thota kura aka amaranth greens:
  • There are 2 kinds of amaranth/ totakura- red leaf and green leaf amaranth. Both the varieties will work in this recipe.
  • They are usually sold as a bunch. Stems are edible too. Make sure to remove any tough stems.
  • Thoroughly clean the leaves before chopping and using.
  • The same recipe can be made with spinach or swiss chard or even kale.

• Dal - I love using toor dal to make this pappu. But you can also use red lentils or masoor dal instead. Moong dal will work too.
• Produce - Onion, tomato, green chilies, garlic cloves, curry leaves
• Tamarind - to add extra tanginess to the dish. You can also add some lemon juice instead.
• Mustard & cumin seeds, dry red chilies

Instructions

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

Here is how to make cook amaranth leaves dal/ thotakura pappu:

Starting by cooking the lentils/ toor dal. Cook until very soft and mushy. I cook them in an Instant Pot for 8 minutes on High Pressure/ manual.* Once done, set aside until ready to use.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. When hot, add oil, mustard & Cumin seeds, dry red chili and cook till the seeds start to splutter. Add the curry leaves and garlic.

Add onions, green chilies and cook until onions start to turn translucent, about 3~4 minutes. Stir in chopped amaranth greens, cover and cook until they wilt and cooked through, about 4~5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tamarind paste and salt, cook until tomatoes turn mushy. Stir in cooked lentils and ½~1 cup of water (depending on the desired consistency) and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Expert Tips

• Masoor or red lentils and moong dal are a great substitute for toor dal in this recipe.
• You can cook in a stove top pressure cooker for 3~4 whistles or in a saucepan for about 30 minutes.
• The same recipe can be made with spinach or swiss chard or even kale.
• Lemon juice can be used instead of tamarind. You can simply omit them as well.
• Leftover dal can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

You might also like

Here are a few more Indian dal/ lentil recipes that you might like:

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Recipe Card