Inguva Charu Recipe is a thin lentil stew, which is a special version of roasted Chaaru from the Andhra cuisine. Serve this piping hot with Steamed Rice.
The name comes from the fact that this Chaaru has more Hing added to it, in more quantity than normal. Amma told me another interesting fact. She said her Mom never used Hing in regular cooking. Since Sambar is not part of Andhra cuisine, they don't use Hing much.
We make Pappu, which is a thick dal with different vegetables or greens. We call Rasam Chaaru. Kattu or Kandi Kattu or Kattu Rasam is the thin water from thick dal excess. We temper it with spices and serve after Pappu in a meal.
When one gets bored of thick dal, we make a thinner version of dal which is called Pappu Charu. Amma has so many different ways of making this Pappu Charu. Today's recipe is from her collection. This charu is also called referred to as Roasted Charu or Vijayawada Charu.
A typical everyday Andhra thali has Pappu, Veppudu, thin stew which will either be kattu or rasam. The other combination is thick vegetable curry, Chaaru along with rest. When we make thick Pappu, we make thin Kattu. We remove excess water from the thick dal, temper it with spices. This is Kattu. Pappu Pulusu is another form of thin dal. If you are interested in other varieties, try this Nellore Style Pappucharu.
Today's Inguva Charu is a delicious side dish for Rice and is part of the A to Z Side Dishes, where I am doing G, H, and I this month.
Other simple dals you can make!
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Ingredients Used in making this Inguva Chaaru
Toor dal is the main ingredient. We also add a roasted spice powder that makes it very satisfying to enjoy with steamed rice.
As the recipe name says, this has extra dose of Hing/ Asafoetida, very healthy and helps digestion.
Recipe
Inguva Charu Recipe | How to make Inguva Chaaru
Ingredients
For Roasted Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 5 Dry Red Chilli
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Methi Seeds
- 2 Cloves
- 1- inch Cinnamon
To be Boiled
- 1/2 cup Toor Dal
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida / Hing
- A Pinch Turmeric Powder
For Tempering
- 5 Small Onions
- 1 medium Tomato
- 2 tbsp Tamarind pulp
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 Green Chilli
- 1 Dry Red Chili
- 1 tsp Asafoetida / Hing
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 tsp Cooking Oil
- A Sprig Curry Leaves
- Handful Coriander Leaves
Instructions
- Dry roast the ingredients listed for powder, allow to cool, and grind to a powder. Keep it aside.
- Take a pressure cooker and roast the toor dal, then add water along with hing, turmeric powder.
- Cook for 2 to 3 whistles till the dal is cooked well. Let the pressure fall.
- When the pressure falls, add salt, crushed tomatoes, and tamarind pulp and bring to a boil.
- Add the roasted powder, bring to a boil.
- Simmer while you make the tadka.
- Now heat a kadai with oil, temper with hing, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic, slit green chilies, small onions, and saute well.
- Add the sauteed onions over the cooked dal and continue boiling for five more minutes.
- Add fresh coriander leaves.
Notes
You can add boiled Vegetables as well.
Vaishali says
I would love to try the authentic variations of rasam, which happens to be one of the best dishes in South Indian Cuisine. An extra dose of hing must be making the rasam so flavorful -would love to try this version from Amma's treasure.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
I get very intrigued by the amount of ways dal is made in Andhra and Tamil cuisine. And this recipe is as interesting as it sounds. Very easy, very comforting...
Suma Gandlur says
A flavor loaded dish. We add asafoetida to our pappu, pulusu, chaaru and even to some curries but not the amount you mentioned in the recipe and so your dish deserves the title. :).
NARMADHA says
My athai(aunt) used to tell if we add little hing extra in rasam or kuzhambu it will elevate the taste of the dish. This dal looks so flavorful and simple to make.
Radha says
Tasty and comforting with rice. I guess I will drink it as a soup too. I am going to try soon.