This is a wonderful pappu that mom has been making for years and very dear to heart. Reminds me of home and family and makes me nostalgic, but never get tired of making this. I have noticed that we get unripe mangoes all through the year in phoenix and thats a plus! I can make this whenever I want to. I use red chilli flakes for the popu instead of the whole red chilli.

Ingredients:
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4 fistfuls or 1 cup of toor dal
1 bunch of Amaranth Leaves
1 medium sized unripe mango
4 green chillies
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Oil, Salt to taste.

For the Popu/Tadka/seasoning
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A teaspoon of Red chilli flakes
A teaspoon of mustard seeds
A teaspoon of Urad dal
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
A few curry leaves

Method:
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Take the Toor dal , Chopped amaranth and unripe mango pieces in a pressure cooker with some turmeric. I’d suggest that the mango cut into big chunks, its one’s choice to either skin it or leave it unskinned. Pressure cooker for 2 whistles and remove from heat and let it cool. In another vessel, heat oil and add the urad dal and let them brown and add the mustard seeds and once they start popping add the chilli flakes, curry leaves and slit green chilli. Saute for a minute and lastly add the asafoetida. Then add the cooked dal and add salt and chilli powder if u want ( I guess 1/2 teaspoon should do) . Let the dal simmer until the flavours blend and remove from heat and serve with rice. I have not added tamarind as I have already added the mango.

Amaranth has been a well liked leafy vegetable for a long time and was cooked often in our household. I was never too fond of it, but, somehow managed to gulp it down because of the nutritional value.

Here is a simple and easy to make stew , learnt from a friend of my mother . Stews were a regular and a daily food in her house and made with fresh green leafy vegetables.

Ingredients:
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I bunch of fresh Amaranth
1 cup of diced tomatoes
1 big onion chopped finely
1 teaspoon of rice flour/gram flour(besan)
1 teaspoon dhaniya powder(optional)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chili powder
lemon sized tamarind ball for tamarind extract
1/2 cup of peanuts for garnish(optional)

For the popu/tadka/seasoning:
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1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 dry chillies
A few curry leaves

Method:
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Do the popu/ tadka/seasoning by heating oil in a thick bottomed vessel and add the urad dal, once brown, add the mustard seeds and let them pop , then add red chillies and curry leaves. Once the popu is done, add the onions and saute until pink in colour. Then add the chopped and washed amaranth leaves and saute until the leaves wilt, then add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt, dhaniya powder and let simmer for 10 minutes, add the tamarind extract and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the flavours blend. Mix the rice flour/gram flour in a some water and make a liquidy paste add to the stew just before turning off the heat .This is done to thicken the gravy.

In another skillet, either dry roast or saute the peanuts in oil and garnish the stew. Serve hot with rice.