Moong Fritters Stew

Pesara Pappu Punukulu Pulusu.
Yellow split moong dal is soaked in water and ground into coarse paste. The mixture is then scooped and deep fried in oil till golden brown in color. The fritters are then added to the tamarind jaggery sauce. Serve moong dal fritters stew with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.
Makes: around 4 Servings of Moong Fritters Stew.
Ingredients:
Moong Dal 1/4 Cup
Onion 1/2 of Small One
Tamarind 2 inch Piece
Turmeric Powder a Pinch
Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp
Jaggery 2 inch Piece
Rice Flour 1 Tbsp
Dried Red Chiles 1
Salt to Taste
Cilantro few Sprigs
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
Asafoetida a Big Pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps
Method of preparation:
Soak moong dal in water for 2 – 3 hours.
Refresh in water and strain the moong dal.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the cilantro leaves.
Soak tamarind in half a cup of warm water for sometime and extract all the juice.
Stir rice flour in few tablespoons of water to make a paste and keep aside.
Grind soaked moong dal and salt into somewhat coarse paste along with red chiles adding small amount of water if required.
Remove the ground moong dal mixture onto a mixing bowl, taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
Scoop small spoon sized moong dal mixture and slowly drop in hot oil.
Repeat the same few more times to till the top layer of the oil is filled with fritters.
Once the fritters are golden brown on all the sides, remove onto absorbent paper.
Repeat the same with remaining moong dal mixture.
Break moong dal fritters into halves or quarters depending on the size.
Heat oil in a pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped onion and pinch of salt.
Once onion turns translucent, stir in tamarind extract, quarter cup of water, jaggery, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Bring to boil and stir in rice flour paste.
Boil for few seconds, remove from heat and stir in slightly broken moong dal fritters.
Garnish with cilantro and serve moong dal fritters stew with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.
Notes: Make sure moong dal is soaked well.
Suggestions: Make sure not to add too much water in the preparing moong dal mixture. Add a tbsp or so of rice flour if moong dal mixture becomes runny.
Variations: Add corn flour in place of rice flour to make a paste to thicken the tamarind sauce.
Other Names: Moong Dal Fritters Stew, Pesara Pappu Punukulu Pulusu.