Kerala Style Dal Fry - Parippu Thalichathu

Ingredients

• 1 cup Toor dal
• 1 med - big Onion (sliced)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 medium Tomato (chopped)
• 1/3 cup Grated Coconut
• A pinch Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam)
• 1/2 - 1 tsp Chopped garlic
• 3 Small onion / Pearl Onion (sliced)
• 3 - 4 Green chilli (slit lengthwise)
• 1/2 tsp Mustard
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Oil (I used coconut oil)

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash toor dal and pressure cook it with 3 cups water, sliced onion and turmeric powder, until dal becomes soft (refer notes).

2. 2

   Grind together coconut, fennel seeds, chopped garlic, 3-4 tbsp of water and salt to a smooth paste.

3. 3

   Add the coconut paste to the cooked dal, mix well. Add chopped tomato and 1- 1.5 cups hot water.Let it cook for 5-7 mins on low flame. Switch off the gas.

4. 4

   Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard. Add small onion and curry leaves. When the small onion starts changing colour, add green chillies. Fry it till the small onion turns golden brown. Add this to the dal and mix well.

5. 5

   Serve hot with plain rice, Pulao, Ghee rice or roti.