Kandi Pachadi - Toor dal Pachadi

Kandi pachadi is an age old pachadi that has been coming down from generations. My grand mother and aunts used to tell that they used to use a hand stone mortar (rubbu rollu) to make this pachadi in those days before Sumeet. I wonder how they did it, but bet was all worth it! My persoanl likinh was for yet another dal pachadi, this one with moong dal (pesarapappu. It can be converted into a spicy chakki - a crispy flattened attu with the remaining after serving once for a meal, cause pesarapappu with get spoilt quickly. I will save the rest for my pesara papchadi blog, for now, it is kandi pachadi. No big base work, just grinding and can use enough water, perfect job for Sumeet.

1 cup Toor dal – Kandi pappu
Few Garlic pods
Small lemon sized Tamarind
Red Chilies

Dry fry toor dal in a skillet till nicely roasted. Remove let cool.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a skillet and when oil is hot, add hing and few curry leaves. Then add whole or chopped garlic pods and fry till they are nicely roasted. Remove from flame and keep aside.

In a mixer jar add ½ tsp raw jeera, raw red chilies (about 10 – 12) and dry grind them first. Then add the toor dal and dry grind to a smooth powder. Then add salt and water and grind to a smooth paste.

Roasted garlic can be added in the mixer and ground or mixed as fried pieces or 50-50. Empty the ground paste into the skillet with oil and mix well. Taste for salt and seasonings and suit you taste.

This is a rescue item, for those days when we run out of vegetables in the fridge. Sliced onions with lemon juice and salt and hot tomato charu/rasam by the side, is, all it requires. Serve with hot rice and ghee/oil.