Gongura Pappu

Name: Gongura Pappu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas); 1½ cups Gongura leaves (red sorrel leaves), washed and chopped; 2 cups Water; ½ cup Onion, small, roughly chopped; 2½ Green chilies, slit; ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder; Salt, to taste; 3 teaspoons Oil; ¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds; 1 Dry red chili; 7½ Curry leaves; 2 cloves Garlic cloves, smashed

Recipe GLPR541a8c986bcbb1

Indian

Side Dish

30 min

104 cal

Servings: 2

Instant Pot

SNAP eligible

An Andhra-style lentil curry featuring tangy red sorrel leaves (gongura) cooked with split pigeon peas until tender, then gently mashed to a grainy consistency. The dal is finished with a fragrant tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, and garlic, creating a comforting and distinctly flavorful vegetarian main dish.

Save recipes you love

Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.

Create free account Sign in

Ingredients

½ cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas)

1½ cups Gongura leaves (red sorrel leaves), washed and chopped

2 cups Water

½ cup Onion, small, roughly chopped

2½ Green chilies, slit

¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder

Salt, to taste

3 teaspoons Oil

¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds

½ teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 Dry red chili

7½ Curry leaves

2 cloves Garlic cloves, smashed

Directions

Rinse the toor dal thoroughly until the water runs clear. In a pressure cooker, combine the washed dal, chopped gongura leaves, onion, and slit green chilies.
Add salt to taste, turmeric powder, and 2 cups of water. Stir well, then close the pressure cooker lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 6–7 whistles or until the dal is completely soft and the gongura leaves have lost their raw texture.
Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker. Using a hand blender, gently mash the mixture until it reaches a grainy, slightly broken-down consistency—it should not become a smooth paste or thin gravy.
If the mixture appears too thick, add a little more water and simmer for 2–3 minutes. If there is excess liquid, let it simmer uncovered until the dal reaches your desired creamy-yet-textured consistency.
While the dal simmers, prepare the tempering. Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a small tadka pan or spoon over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop and crackle.
Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 15 seconds. Then add the dry red chili, curry leaves, and smashed garlic cloves. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant.
Pour the entire tempering (oil and spices) over the dal. Stir everything together thoroughly to distribute the flavors evenly. Serve hot as a main course with rice or flatbread.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

Gongura leaves are a dealbreaker for Charlotte weeknight cooking—they're not stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger, meaning a dedicated trip to an Indian market like Sharma Saag or Spice of India on South Boulevard. Toor dal is available at most major chains but costs $6–8 per pound, and combined with the special-trip tax, this becomes a $12–15 meal for two. The stated 30 minutes ignores dal soaking or cooking time; realistically expect 50–60 minutes simmered. The dish itself is straightforward once you have ingredients and reheats well as a side or base, but the gongura sourcing and total cost per serving make this a planned occasion rather than a spontaneous dinner.