Today I present this super simple yet delicious Nimmakaya Pappu (Lemon Dal) from Andhra Pradesh.
I have so many traditional recipes that I fail to write about because they are simple or then are made as a part of everyday cooking (translate to mean I don’t have time or the presence of mind to photograph them in the hustle-bustle of daily life). This tangy Nimmakaya Pappu falls in this category.
On a chilly day, this Lemon Dal from my home state of Andhra Pradesh (and our sister state Telangana) has the ability to perk you up and deliver a load of much-needed Vitamin C as well. And the dal is ready in less than 30 minutes; what more can you ask for? 🙂
Do also try my recipes for Nimma Kharam, Nimmakaya Charu | Lemon Rasam and Nimmakaya Urugaya | Andhra Lemon Pickle.
Winter is the season of plentiful lemons and I always have plenty on hand because I love anything lemony. So for this month’s A to Z Cooking Challenge, where we are cooking with an ingredient whose name begins with L, I chose lemons as my ingredient and made this traditional Andhra recipe. Click the image below to see what my fellow bloggers have contributed to the challenge this month.
How to Make Nimmakaya Pappu | Andhra Lemon Dal
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Tuvar Dal, Pigeon Pea, Kandi Pappu – 1/2 Cup
- Lemon Juice – 6 tbsp
- Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
- Salt to Taste
- For Tempering
- Ghee – 1 tsp
- Rai, Mustard Seeds, Avalu -1/2 tsp
- Jeera, Cumin Seeds, Jeelakarra – 1/2 tsp
- Red Chillies – 4
- Curry Leaves – A Few
Method to Make Nimmakaya Pappu
- Wash the tuvar dal well and add 1 cup water and the turmeric powder.
- Pressure cook till mashable.
- Let the pressure cooker cool and then take out the dal.
- Using a heavy ladle, mash well and add salt. Mix well.
- Add lemon juice and mix well.
- In a ladle, heat the ghee.
- Add mustard seeds and wait till they crackle.
- Add cumin seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves.
- Stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Add the tempering to the Nimmakaya Pappu, and mix well.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee.
Recipe for Nimmakaya Pappu
Nimmakaya Pappu | Lemon Dal from Andhra Pradesh
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Tuvar Dal Pigeon Pea, Kandi Pappu
- 6 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- Salt to Taste
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1/2 tsp Rai, Mustard Seeds, Avalu
- 1/2 tsp Jeera, Cumin Seeds, Jeelakarra
- 4 Red Chillies
- A Few Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Pressure cook the dal with 1 cup water and turmeric powder till mashable.
- Using a heavy ladle, mash the dal well.
- Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well.
- In a ladle, heat the ghee.
- Add mustard seeds and wait till they crackle.
- Add cumin seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves.
- Stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Add the tempering to the Nimmakaya Pappu, and mix well.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee.
My favourite pappu.. we can make it with the addition of many greens too. Comfort meal.
I totally agree with you… the simple recipes get sidelines thinking they are simple, yet they are the ones who make up all our life memories! Hehe… this dal sounds very delicious, with a nice tange. Must try… 🙂
Love the bright colour of the Dal! I’m sure this Dal, loaded with lemon juice, would perk up anyone’s day. Like you, I’m a fan of anything with lemons, too – I would love this!
Simple, easy to make recipe but a soulful & comforting food, Aruna. As you have mentioned many times we end up not posting the day to day simple recipes. Loved it?
Simple, easy to make recipe but a soulful & comforting food, Aruna. As you have mentioned many times we end up not posting the day to day simple recipes. Loved it?
Thank you, Niranjana. I loved your Bhindi Masala too. It makes a nice change from stir-fried bhindi.
Thank you Aruna?
So simple, yet so comforting to have with rice or roti! Love the color dear! Lemon is my favorite ingredient to add to any dal, albeit on top while eating! Gotta try this one; love Andhra Food!
I like to pair my simple waran byaat tup with lemon juice. I am sure we will love this simple yet soulful nimkayya pappu .
That’s so true Aruna, some of the most simplest recipes don’t make it to the blog until someone asks for the recipe. Adding lemon to tuvar dal does make it taste really good. This dal recipe without onion, garlic and tomatoes is a keeper for me. So easy to put together with less ingredients.
Thank you, Mayuri. Hope you will try making it soon.
Simple dishes are the most comforting ones , beautiful vibrant yellow colour of dal makes it more appealing with tadka..Will love to pair this lemony dal with rice or I can have it as soup slurpp slrupp..
This lemon dal looks so inviting, we usually add lemon juice in our dal or curries while having it but didn’t no about that dal is made with it. Now that I have your recipe, surely going to try soon as me or my family have never eaten.
Thank you, Jolly. We love this dal in my home. ?
Your lemon dal looks so good. At my home when ever there was some leftover dal , my mother used to put some lemon, onion and green chili in it. And i usually enjoyed that dal with hot chapati.
Lemon dal looks so inviting. I love lemon with dal chawal, specially kaffir lime. I can imagine the strong flavour of lemon in dal. I will try it sometime
Pair it with roti and you are ready to enjoy the comforting meal. Simple yet flavorful recipe, this lemon dal is something I need on this lazy morning for my lunch.
Nimmakaya pappu is such a simple yet comfort dish. I would love this pappu with hot steamed rice and papad. I very much like this particular no onion, garlic and tomato recipe. The colour is just GORGEOUS!
Aruna, I adore simple and fuss free recipes like this Lemon Dal here. Something about the whole process, be it the ingredients, preparation speaks comfort to me. I would pair this with Jeera Rice with a side of salad and some pickle. PS – I love the thick consistency of dal too, just like yours – so filling, right?
In Andhra, pappu or dal is always thick, so thick that it barely flows off the ladle. Sometime for sake of portion control or the need for mixing well with rice, I add a little water.
Is that so? Did not know about the consistency part. I always thought dal would be at the max semi thick almost like a Kootu.
What else one needs ;P super simple as well as so easy to make recipe Aruna. Love this kind of soulful & comforting dal with lemon flavor ?
Thank you, Sasmita. Indeed, simple is the best.
I am a fan of pappu and palli chutney with steamed rice on cold nights. somehow it makes me feel good. I could nt help smiling when i saw the image captured here as i remined me winter is coming soon. So bookmarked to keep for ever is this recipe
Hope you make this pappu and it keeps you warm 🙂
So simple and yet comfort food. I make dal for kids atleast two days in a week and i am going to try this adding lemon juice next time. Looks so delicious and so easy to make.