The first of the main courses is the paruppu sadham. Sadham is cooked rice and paruppu means lentils. This is especially Thuvaram Paruppu – Arhar dal in hindi. The red gram/pigeon pea is cooked well and seasoned with mustards, urad dal and green chillies. This is a light meal in itself. A lazy day’s meal can always be rice and thaalicha paruppu with a kootu (stew of vegetables) or poriyal (dry vegetable curry). Lazy to make vegetables…  then just paruppu sadham and appalam/pappad and curd rice to finish the day’s meal would do!

But, in the vaazhai ilai sappadu – banana leaf meal, be prepared for sambar, rasam and curds to follow. For an infant or a toddler or a growing child, paruppu sadham and nei/ghee is the one of the preferred preparations for lunch followed by curds and rice – not to mention the compulsory vegetables.

Thaalicha Paruppu

Ingredients (serves 2)

• thuvaram paruppu/red lentils – 1/2 cup
• turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• salt – as needed
• asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

Thaalippu – Thadka – Seasoning

• oil – 2 tsp
• mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• green chillies – 2 nos
• curry leaves

Method of Preparation

1. Wash and cook dal with turmeric powder and salt
2. Mash it a bit and make it slightly pourable consistency
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds
4. After the mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal
5. When dal is golden brown, add green chillies and curry leaves
6. Pour the mashed paruppu and bring it to boil
7. Sprinkle asafoetida and serve hot with rice with a tsp of ghee.

Note

1. This is the plain simple paruppu of the vaazhai ilai sappadu/banana leaf meal.
2. For more flavour, chopped onions and tomatoes can be added after curry leaves, cooked for a while and then dal can be added and mixed well.
3. Red chillies can be substituted or added along with green chillies.
4. The consistency of paruppu can be altered according individual preference.