Mochai Pidukku Uppu Paruppu Kuzhambu

Mochai Pidukku Uppu Paruppu Kuzhambu : Happy New Year to all, this is my first post for this year, I thought of posting a sweet dish, since kids were at home and we had several trips during the vacation I have no time to draft any other post. I took almost a week break, so I am posting traditional kongunadu mochai paruppu kuzhambu which I drafted a long back. This dal is healthy and an authentic recipe from my mom, also it’s very apt for this upcoming Pongal/Thai thirunaal. Friends don’t think that I am in hometown right now :-), luckily we got this fresh mochai from the street vendor during the month of July 2015 :-). This dal/paruppu kuzhambu is called as pidhukku paruppu/Mochai Uppu Paruppu in our place (becoz of removing the outer skin(husk)/pidhuku in tamil) its called so, please pass your comments if you call them with different names, will move on to the detailed recipe…

Ingredients for Piduku Uppu Paruppu Kuzhambu

Pachai Mochai/Field Beans – 1 Cup (with husk/skin/outerlayer as shown in picture 2)
Garlic – 4-5 small cloves
Pepper  – 3/4tsp to 1tsp
Cumin – 1.25tsp
Curry Leaves – Few
Turmeric Powder – 1/4tsp
Green Chili – 2-3 Numbers (small)
Red Chili – 1 Number
Salt and Oil – As Needed
Onion Vadagam/Thalipu Vadagam – Optional
Hing/Perungayam/Asafoetida – Pinch

Pidukku Uppu Paruppu Kuzhambu Preparation

• You will get mochai kottai (the beans alone in shops) otherwise if you get the whole thing then peel it off as shown in picture 1.
• When you choose to but the whole mochai then make sure they are green in color and it has seeds to make this dal (when the outside mochai is not green and pale white, so and so then the seeds turn out so mature).
• Peel the mochai from one side sharp edge and get out the seeds/lentils
  alone (Pic 1).
• Once done (Pic 2) soak them in water for 30-45 minutes not more than 2 hours.
• After that when you press one side (probably back side), the outer skin peels and
  you get the inner dal alone as shown in picture 3.
• My gradma was with me so she was very patient to make it :-).
• Once done with removing the outer skin, pressure cook the skin removed mochai dal with pepper,
  cumin, turmeric powder(you can add turmeric powder during tempering/thalippu/tadka), green chili and garlic (Pic 3).

• 2 hisses is more than enough for it to cook.
• Once pressure goes off, mash it with masher/mathu, add salt
  and keep aside.
• In a pan/kadai heat oil temper some mustard,(turmeric powder
  if using),red chili (optional),hing and curry leaves.
• Now add the cooked and mashed dal, if necessary you can add some water and allow it to cook well/rolling boil.
• Adjust salt and if needed you can fry the onion/thalippu
  vadagam and garnish it.
• Well to go with rice,ghee and potato poriyal :-), also good to have with chapati/flat breads.
• I have Puli Kuzhambu using this same beans, do check it out HERE.