Mamidikaya Pappu was the first recipe I posted on the blog and what a journey it has been since. The reason I chose this recipe on that fateful day was that it is a family favourite and this blog was meant to be an aide-memoire for recipes from my extended family.

Coming back to Mamidikaya Pappu, this tangy Mango Dal from Andhra Pradesh is a great favourite with my Dad. Daddy will buy raw mangoes wherever and whenever he sees them, whether it is the season for mangoes or not! And he has the knack for getting just the right kind; firm and khatta (sour).
Do try my recipes for Mamidikaya Kobbari Pachadi | Andhra Coconut and Mango Chutney and Mamidikaya Nuvvula Pachadi | Andhra Mango and Sesame Chutney.
In Andhra Pradesh, pappu or dal is normally eaten as the second course, and is normally thick and not of pouring consistency. The first course is called Modati Mudda and will typically be rice mixed with a chutney, pickle or then a podi.
Recipe for How to Make Mamidikaya Pappu | Andhra Style Raw Mango Dal | Aam Dal | Kairi Dal
Mamidikaya Pappu | Andhra Style Raw Mango Dal | Kairi Dal | Aam Dal
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Tuvar Dal, Kandi Pappu (~75 gms)
- 1/2 Cup Raw Mango, Mamidikaya, Kairi Pieces (~75 gms)
- 1/3 tsp Turmeric, Pasupu
- 1.5 Cup Water
- Salt to Taste
- 2 tsp Ghee, Neyyi (or Oil)
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, Avalu
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds, Jeelakarra
- 2 Spicy Red Chillies, Endu Mirapakayalu
- 8-10 Peeled Garlic Cloves, Vellu Ulli (Optional)
- A Few Curry Leaves, Karivepaku
Instructions
- Dry roast the dal till they are light brown.
- Soak the dal in 1 cup water for about 15 minutes.
- Add the mango pieces to a largish vessel and add 1/2 cup water.
- Pressure cook the dal and mango over medium flame for 15 minutes or 4 whistles.
- Let the cooker cool and remove the dal and mango from it.
- Add salt and turmeric to the dal, and mix the dal well till it is completely mashed. At this stage do not add more water to the dal.
- Add cooked mango along with any water in it to the mashed dal, and mix well. The dal must be thick in consistency and just short of pouring consistency.
- In a ladle, heat the oil.
- If you are using garlic, add the garlic pods and let them brown a bit.
- Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and wait for the mustard seeds to crackle.
- Add split red chillies and curry leaves, and stir-fry for for a few seconds.
- Add the tempering to the Mamidikaya Pappu and mix well.
- Serve the Mamidikaya Pappu with steamed rice topped with ghee, Avakai, and some papad.
Nutrition

How to Make Mamidikaya Pappu | Andhra Style Mango Dal | Kairi Dal
- Getting the Dal
- In a heavy-bottomed kadai, dry roast the tuvar dal till it starts to change colour. We do this in my family but I have not seen many other people do it.
- Transfer the dal into a vessel and add 1 cup water to it. Let the dal soak for about 15 minutes. The soaking just helps the dal cook faster.
- In a heavy-bottomed kadai, dry roast the tuvar dal till it starts to change colour. We do this in my family but I have not seen many other people do it.
- Prepping the Mango
- Add the mango pieces to a small vessel and add enough water to cover the pieces. Use a largish vessel because the mango has a tendency to spill out of the vessel under pressure. I add the hard seed of the mango while pressure cooking the mango.
- Add the mango pieces to a small vessel and add enough water to cover the pieces. Use a largish vessel because the mango has a tendency to spill out of the vessel under pressure. I add the hard seed of the mango while pressure cooking the mango.
- Cooking the Dal
- On medium flame, pressure cook the dal and mango till the dal is mashable. Typically, it takes about 3-4 whistles for the dal to become mashable if the dal has been pre-soaked; may be a whistle or two more otherwise.
- After the cooker cools, remove the dal and mango from it.
- Now, add salt and turmeric to the dal.
- Using a heavy ladle, mix the dal well such that it gets mashed well. At this stage, do not add any water to the dal though it is thick.
- Now add the cooked mango to the mashed dal. Mix well. In Andhra, dal is always thick. If you want thinner consistency, add some water at this stage.
- The Tempering
- In a ladle, heat the oil.
- First, fry the peeled garlic pods till light brown.
- Then add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. If you fry the mustard and cumin first, then they will char as you are frying the garlic.
- After the mustard seeds start to crackle pop, add split red chillies and curry leaves
- Stir-fry for for a few seconds.
- Add the tempering to the Mamidikaya Pappu and mix well.
- On medium flame, pressure cook the dal and mango till the dal is mashable. Typically, it takes about 3-4 whistles for the dal to become mashable if the dal has been pre-soaked; may be a whistle or two more otherwise.
- Serve the Mamidikaya Pappu with steamed rice topped with ghee with some Bangala Dumpa Vepudu | Potato Fry, Bendakaya Vepudu | Bhindi Fry, and Avakai or Avabaddalu on the side.
Tips
- Soaking the dal is just a way of making it cook faster.
- Do not mix the dal and the mango before cooking. The sourness in the mango stops the dal from cooking easily.
- Mango pieces are done when they look transparent and can be mashed by hand.
- You can make this dal to be thick or to have pouring consistency like sambar.

hi aruna,
this dal is made quite often in my house too.and yes, my mom puts the mango pieces during the ‘tadka’.and sometimes she would add grated coconut also.
Hi Almas,
The reason why we “cook” the mango pieces is that then when you mix them with dal, the khatta taste gets infused in the dal. Sometimes, the mango pieces get completely mashed, but that is even better. 🙂
I will try adding the grated coconut.
Oh shoot! Now I want some. 🙁
hey aruna…when i was on a vac in calcutta…my friends mom had prepared dal with sliced coconut fried during tadka.believe me it was tasting awesome.it took some time for a person like me to make out wat it actually was.and i think adding mango would make a gr8 recipe.will try it soon n keep u posted.
You just handed me my Sunday menu on a platter. 🙂
I didn’t know that dal and mango goes well together. A must try!!And thanks for following my blog.
I just love this pappu. Planning to make it for dinner :-).
Garlic lovers can add a few garlic flakes in tadka. Tastes yummmm.. 🙂
I was about to comment how you got fresh raw mango but I saw the published date and realized:-) mango pappu seeing it make me drool
We are getting,mangoes here in Mumbai, Vidya. 🙂 in fact, we now get them all year round; but the best ones are just coming in.
I made Mammidikaya Pappu in two ways this weekend. The second way coming up soon. 🙂
Throughout the year, I envy you:-) waiting for the second way
raw mango in dal is amazing combination. it’s lipsmacking