Parippu or dals form a good source of proteins for most vegetarians. We have over 50 different varieties of dals, beans, and legumes around India and Srilanka. It features a lot in our dishes like soups, stews, curries or just the comfort of rice and dal bowls. Coming to the south of India, we call these daals as “parippu”. Parippu curry is therefore the simplest version of daal that we make.
Srilankan parippu curry
The parippu curry in SriLankan cuisine is the antidote to the fiery side dishes. Combined with the sweet-tasting red rice, the parippu curry forms the base to transcend the spice mixes of the side dishes to an exotic island feel. Made with soft-cooked masoor dal the parippu, is tempered generously with a roasted mix of spices, shallots, garlic and curry leaves. The faint notes of creaminess from the coconut milk make this the best partner to all those fiery side dishes.
Try the parippucurry with thakkali sambola, thibattu mallung and wambatu moju. You will love the textural difference in each of the dishes and the combination making it a meal with lasting memories. So gather up the ones close to you and cook up a storm.
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Srilankan parippu curry
Ingredients
The lentil base
- 1 cup red lentil masoor
- 2 cups drinking water
- salt to taste
- 1 small green chilli ( optional)
- 1 cup coconut milk
The tempering
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1-2 medium dry red chillies
- 2 clove garlic
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced.
- 1/2 medium tomato sliced.
Instructions
- Wash and add the lentils to a heavy bottomed stock pot.
- Add the salt, green chillies and water and set it to cook.
- Stir occasionally.
- As it cooks the lentil will become soft and mashable.
- Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Set a frying pan and add the coconut oil to warm.
- Add the mustard seeds and as they crackle add the red chillies.
- To this add the garlic, curry leaves, onions and tomatoes and saute.
- Once the onions caramelize, remove from heat and add this to the mashed cooked dal.
- Mix well and the parippu curry is ready to serve.
This looks delicious, curious about it’s taste.