Dappalam

Dappalam / mukkala pulusu is an andhra dish prepared with different vegetables cooked in stew with Indian spices. It is made during the festive season especially during Sankranthi  and also on most of the auspicious occasions. It is generally served with plain cooked lentils and rice. I can say this dish is in between rasam and sambar. try it out! 


Ingredients:
Carrots -3
Drum sticks -2
Bottle guard (half)
Diced pumpkin ( half cup)
Onion (half cup)
Concentrated tamarind juice (half cup)
Jaggery (1 1/2 table spoon)
Mustard (half tea spoon)
Jeera (half tea spoon)
Red chilli powder (one tea spoon)
Turmeric ( half tea spoon)
Green chillies - 1 
Salt to taste 
Hing / asafoetida (one pinch)
Curry leaves 4 to 5 
Oil (2 tea spoons)
Water 4 to 5 cups
Rice flour 1 table spoon. 


Method of  Preparation:

1. Boil portion of water in a large size cooking pot.. 
2. Dice all the vegetables and add it to the boiling water and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. 
3. Once all the vegetables start getting softer then add the concentrated tamarind juice, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery, slit green chillies and allow it to cook for atleast 15 minutes. 
4. Take a small sized kadai, heat two tea spoons of oil, add mustard seeds, whole jeera, hing, curry leaves and tadka to the Dappalam. 
5. To make the Dappalam thick, mix rice flour with one table spoon of water and add it to the cooking dish and allow it to cook for another 7 to 8 minutes. 
6. Switch off the stove and garnish with fresh coriander. 

Ideas:

• Extra sugar or jaggery can be added to make the dish little sweet. 
• Tastes best with rice and cooked plain lentils ( pressure cook toor dal add one pinch of turmeric and salt to taste). 
• Vegetables like sweet potatoes, ladies fingers, etc., can also be used in preparing this Mukkala pulusu.