Kerala Onam Recipe: Parippu curry

Try this delicious parippu curry recipe that will liven up any sadya. Parippu curry is the first curry served along with rice, as part of the onam meal. Parippu curry is a standard accompaniment of all kerala wedding sadyas as well as the vishu sadya.

Traditionally sadya parippu is made from cherupayar parippu [moong dal, split], spiced coconut paste and fresh coconut oil. Nowadays, parippu curry for sadya is also made from toor dal and tempered with hot, flavored coconut oil. That recipe is a slightly different one. It is more of an everyday Parippu curry that is served in most Kerala homes. I will give it in another post.

Parippu curry or Kerala yellow dal curry is a very healthy dish. It is a standard rice or chapathi accompaniment when feeding small children as it is only mildly spiced. It’s a high protein dish.

Ingredients:

1.       Split moong dal/ cherupayar parippu – ½ cup

2.       Salt – to taste

3.       Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

4.       Water – 2 cups

Dry roast the dal in heavy bottom vessel, do not let it change color. Cook the dal adding turmeric, salt and adequate water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Mash the dal well.

5.       Grated Coconut – ½ cup

6.       Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

7.       Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

8.       Green chillies - 2

9.       Garlic – 1 clove

10.   Curry leaves -2

Grind the coconut, adding other ingredients and a little water, to a fine and smooth paste. Add this to the cooked dal and cook for another 5 minutes on medium flame. Add more water, if needed, to adjust the gravy to required consistency.

11.   Fresh Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

12.   Curry leaves- 1 sprig

13.   Freshly grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Pour fresh coconut oil over the parippu curry. Add curry leaves and mix well. Garnish with freshly grated coconut. Serve hot with rice, ghee, pickle and pappadam.

Grandma’s Secret Tips: 

• Fry the moong dal in a tbsp of ghee, before cooking it.
• Crush couple of curry leaves and mix in fresh coconut oil and pour this over the curry at the end.
• The clove is added to aid digestion and is optional in the recipe.
• Once the dal is mashed, stir frequently to prevent burning.
• The final consistency of the gravy should be thick, but easily pourable.