Having a chutney or a pickle is kind of very important in our families. Without a pickle or chutney, our meal is sort of incomplete. For the past few days, I have been missing my parent’s way too much for the past few days. So I’ve been making what my mom makes the most and keeping the memories alive. Now, Pesara Pachadi (or Moong Chutney) is very healthy, tasty and is filled with protein and Vitamin C. You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this and the cooking time is almost zero since this doesn’t require cooking. The only preparation you will have to do is soaking. It’s my dad’s favorite and he loves it. Personally, it’s not my favorite. Mom makes the best Kandi Pachadi (Toor Dal Chutney) with Pachi Pulusu (Tamarind Kadhi). But I decided to make this since it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten it so I decided to make it. Mom makes it better, but since she can’t make it now, this is the second best alternative.

I think mom will be very proud of what I have been cooking. I want to avoid rice all the time, but it’s so easy to make it and it’s easy to feed Arlo too. He likes to eat roti, but with my still swollen hand, it gets tough to make them. VJ is okay with anything that I make. He just asks for simple food that is easy to make. They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, that’s so wrong with VJ. Even with the most impressive dishes, I make for him, he just gives me a small nod that he always gives me. Some days it’s so frustrating. I spend all the time in the kitchen trying to perfect the dish that I know he would love, and I do not get an ounce of reaction from him. But, he gives the most critic feedback to that one spoon of biriyani he tasted at some place. So despite the unavailability of feedback from my dearest husband, I try to keep cooking the most loved recipes from my mom’s kitchen.

Ingredients

Pesarapappu (Split Moong Dal) – 1.5 cups

Dried Red Chilies – 6 (I used around 8 or 10)

Salt – As Required

Turmeric – A pinch

Lime – 2 whole

For Tadka:

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Urad Dal – 1 tablespoon

Mustard Seeds – 1 tablespoon

Asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – 1 tablespoon

How to Make

Step 1: Soak the Pesarapappu (Moong Dal) and Dried Red Chilies for at least 4 hours.

Step 2: Drain all the water from the Pesarapappu (Moong Dal) and Dried Red chilies and them in a jar with salt and turmeric. Water isn’t required.

Step 3: Once all the ingredients have been ground into a thick paste removed the contents into a container and squeeze the juice out of the limes.

Step 4: In a small pan, once hot add the oil and Urad Dal. Once the Urad dal starts to change color, add mustard seeds and Asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the cumin seeds and then add it to the chutney.

Step 5: Mix it well and serve it with steaming hot rice.

Love,
Po