Parippu curry is an authentic Kerala dish made from moong dal (split yellow mung bean) made with coconut. The flavor of this simple dish comes from cumin and spring onions (scallions) and is often served during festivals like Onam.
It is the first ozhichu curry that is served in an Onam sadhya. It can be prepared and enjoyed even on normal days.
Check out my other Paruppu in Tamil Nadu style that we serve on holidays and that’s simple study food also on this site.
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Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients needed to make it.
- Split yellow moong beans – Moong dal – known as cherupayar parippu is typically used for this dish.
- Coconut – Base of the dish, I like to use fresh grated coconut. (In the photo above I used already ground coconut paste that I took from another recipe)
- Caraway seeds – Helps digestion and balances the gastric properties of dal.
- Small onions – Shallot – The finishing touch of parippu adds great flavor.
- Red chili pepper – Gives a smoky touch and a light spiciness.
- Turmeric powder – Gives a beautiful color and is good for your health.
- Coconut oil – The base oil to use for any Kerala dish, use a good quality oil, cold pressed if possible.
- Curry leaves – For a wonderful flavor
- Tempering articles – Black mustard seeds.
See the recipe card for exact quantities and measurements.
Instructions
Let’s see how to prepare parippu curry.
- Start by roasting dal first.
- Once it’s golden here and there, lower the heat.
3. Add 1 ½ cups water, turmeric powder, coconut oil and bring to a boil.
4. Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
5. Let the pressure drop naturally.
6. Mash adding a little water if it is too dry.
7. Place the coconut and cumin in the blender jar.
8. Grind it into a paste with little water.
9. Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked dal
10. Adjust the water, add some chopped fresh curry leaves, coconut oil and salt.
11. Mix well and boil on medium heat.
12. After 2-3 minutes the parippu curry will have a smooth consistency. Turn off the flame.
13. Let’s do the tempering. Heat the coconut oil and pop the mustard, followed by the dried red chillies and once toasted add the curry leaves.
14. Then add the thinly sliced onion and start frying it.
15. Fry until golden brown in colour.
16. Finally add it to the cooked dal and your parippu curry is ready.
Serve with hot matta rice and garnish it with ghee for better taste.
Substitutions and variations
You can make parippu curry with toor dal too. Especially when you do it on normal days.
Some people don’t add onion to parippu curry, so you can skip it if you want.
For extra spice, you can add green chilli while grinding the coconut.
Warehousing
You can refrigerate and consume parippu curry for 2 days in the refrigerator.
If you want you can freeze for up to 3 months. To consume it, defrost it for an hour on the work surface and reheat it well.
Top tip
While cooking, make sure to cook the dal with enough water, at least 3 times the size of the dal.
Keep stirring occasionally while boiling the cooked dal. Otherwise it could burn.
Roasting gives a good flavor and prevents the dal from becoming too sticky. The roasted dal gives a good texture.
Frequently asked questions
Parippu curry consists of split yellow mung beans (cherupayar parippu) and coconut, cumin seeds, spring onions and tempered red chillies as the main ingredients. It is usually served as part of Onam Sadhya.
Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe card
Parippu Curry Recipe | Kerala style for Ona Sadya
Parippu curry is an authentic Kerala dish made from coconut-based moong dal (split yellow). The flavor of this simple dish comes from cumin and spring onions (scallions) and is often served during festivals like Onam.
Cup measurements
Ingredients
- ½ cup Moong dal Cherupayar parippu
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 4 Curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon Coconut oil
Temper
- 1 table spoon Coconut oil
- 2 Red chili pepper
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 6 Small onions
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Instructions
-
Start by roasting dal first.
-
Once it's golden here and there, lower the heat.
-
Add 1 ½ cups water, turmeric powder, coconut oil and bring to a boil.
-
Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium flame.
-
Let the pressure drop naturally.
-
Mash it by adding a little water if it is too dry.
-
Place the coconut and cumin in a blender jar.
-
Grind it into a paste with a little water.
-
Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked dal
-
Adjust the water, add a few chopped fresh curry leaves, coconut oil and salt.
-
Mix well and boil over medium heat.
-
After 2-3 minutes the parippu curry will have a smooth consistency. Turn off the flame.
-
Let's do the tempering. Heat the coconut oil and pop the mustard, followed by the dried red chillies and once toasted add the curry leaves.
-
Then add the onion cut into thin slices and begin to fry it.
-
Fry until golden brown in colour.
-
Finally add it to the cooked dal and your parippu curry is ready.
Video
Notes
- While cooking, make sure to cook the dal with enough water, at least 3 times the size of the dal.
- Keep stirring occasionally while boiling the cooked dal. Otherwise it could burn.
