Capsicum With Chickpea Powder (Pappula Podi)

I think adding pappula podi to vegetable preparations is a rayala seema speciality. I may be wrong but I have never seen my part of the family who come from the coastal area ever using it. Obviously, the recipe comes from my MIL who is from Kadapa. I had tried several variations with capsicum over the years and finally settled with this version which happens to be M's favorite one. It is a neat, simple and quick preparation and I prefer it when we have company. Chick pea powder is the star ingredient of the recipe which lends the curry a subtle sweetness and flavor. What do you need for 4 servings: 3 Capsicums (around 4 cups when chopped). Chilli powder 1 tsp Salt according to taste 1 Tbsp dalia - coconut mixture* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder For seasoning / tadka - 4 -5 tsp oil, 1 tsp chanadal, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds How I make it: Quarter the capsicum. Cut out the stalk, remove the seeds and chop. Heat oil in a saute pan / kadai and add all the tadka ingredients. When the chanadal starts to turn reddish, add the chopped capsicum, stir the ingredients once and cover the pan. Let the capsicum cook in its own juices for the next 10-15 minutes on low heat. Stir a couple of times in between for uniform cooking. Then add the chilipowder, dalia - coconut mixture, salt to the curry and increase the heat to medium. Stir once and let the curry cook for five minutes more. Can be served with rice / rotis. * I usually keep the dalia - grated dry coconut mixture ready to use with curries like capsicum and brinjal. Just dry grind dalia (roasted chick peas) - grated copra (dry coconut) in 2:1 ratio into a fine powder and store it in a clean, dry jar. If using the pappula podi, adjust the quantity of chili powder and salt used in the above recipe as the podi already contains red chillies & salt. Post a Comment