Parippu Curry | Lentil Curry
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
5 mins
-
Cook Time
20 mins
-
Total Time
25 mins
-
Servings
3
-
Calories
173 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Indian
Parippu Curry | Lentil Curry
Description
Parippu Curry features split yellow moong dal cooked until soft in a pressure cooker with turmeric. Simultaneously, a paste is made from fresh grated coconut, green chili, cumin seeds, and pearl onion, which is added to the cooked dal along with water and salt to form a creamy curry base. The tempering of coconut oil or ghee with mustard seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and sliced pearl onions is poured over the cooked dal, adding complexity and flavor contrast.
The final dish is mildly spicy and aromatic, with the lentils providing a smooth, hearty texture complemented by the fragrant tempering ingredients. The use of coconut adds natural richness while balancing the heat from green chili.
Traditionally served with rice, this lentil curry forms a staple in South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine. It can be paired with other vegetable sides or eaten on its own as a comforting meal. Variations include substituting pearl onions, shallots or omitting onions entirely for an onion-free version.
This recipe can be scaled up and kept refrigerated for several days. Ghee or coconut oil are recommended for tempering but mild neutral oils can be used in their absence. Desiccated or frozen coconut can stand in for fresh grated coconut if needed.
Ingredients
For pressure cooking lentils
- ⅓ cup moong dal 70 grams, (split & husked yellow mung lentils)
- 1 cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 pinches (ground turmeric)
For coconut paste
- ⅓ cup coconut fresh grated
- 1 green chili chopped or ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pearl onion - sliced or 2 tablespoons, sliced
- ¼ cup water - for grinding
Other ingredients
- ⅓ to ½ cup water - to be added later
- salt as required
For tempering parippu curry
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
- ⅓ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 or 2 red chili broken and seeds removed, dry
- 9 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 to 3 pearl onions - thinly sliced or ¼ cup sliced
Instructions
Pressure cooking moong lentils
- Rinse moong dal in water a couple of times. Then add rinsed moong dal in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also add turmeric powder and 1 cup water.
- Pressure cook on medium to high heat for 5 to 6 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes.
- Once the pressure settles down, remove the lid and check the lentils. They should be softened and cooked thoroughly.
- Mash the cooked moong dal with a spoon or masher. Keep aside.
Making coconut paste
- Meanwhile, while the dal is cooking, take grated coconut, chopped green chillies, sliced pearl onion in a blender or grinder jar. For a spicy dal, you can add 2 green chilies or about 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped green chillies.
- Add cumin seeds and ¼ cup water.
- Grind to a smooth and fine paste. Add more water if required while grinding.
Making parippu curry
- Add this coconut paste to the mashed dal in the pressure cooker.
- Add ⅓ to ½ cup water.
- Season with salt as required.
- Mix well and keep the cooker on the stove top on a low to medium heat.
- Simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. Keep stirring at intervals so that the dal does not stick to the bottom of the cooker. After 7 to 8 minutes of simmering cover with a lid and set aside.
Tempering for lentil curry
- Heat coconut oil or ghee in a small pan or tadka pan.
- Add ⅓ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Then add dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed), curry leaves and pearl onions (thinly sliced).
- Saute the onions stirring often till they turn golden.
- Once the onions turn golden, switch off the heat.
- Add the entire tempering mixture to the cooked lentils and mix well.
- Serve parippu curry with steamed rice.
Notes
- Substitute pearl onions with shallots or regular onions in both the coconut paste and tempering.
- Tur dal can replace moong dal if preferred.
- Use ghee for tempering if coconut oil is unavailable; neutral oil may be used otherwise.
- Desiccated or frozen coconut can replace fresh for the paste.
- Omit onions entirely for a no-onion version of the curry.
- Adjust pressure cooking times according to dal quality to achieve softness.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 173 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 173kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 455mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 95mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 295IU | 6% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.03mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.02mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 35mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.04mg | |
| Vitamin C | 65mg | 72% |
| Vitamin E | 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 1µg | |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 361µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 11mg | 3% |
| Phosphorus | 25mg | |
| Zinc | 0.2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
