Tomato Pappu ( Yellow Lentils with Tomato)

Standard Mom's recipe:). If you have a pressure cooker it would be nice but you can do this without it:).

Ingredients:
Yellow Lentils (Kandi Pappu/Toovarum paruppu/ToorDal) - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 2 small cut into wedges
Green Chillies - 3 slit length wise
Curry Leaves - 6 - 8
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Asafoetida ( Ingva or Hing) - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - Pinch
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - as needed

Procedure:

In a shallow pan lightly toast the lentils by stirring constantly for about 5 - 8 minutes. They tend to burn fast.

Remove from flame and transfer the lentils, tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric and 2 cups of water into a pressure cooker.

Raise the lame on the stove to high and let the steam come out of the cooker. Then put the whistle on to the cooker and wait for one whistle. Turn the stove off and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Try not to remove the lid immediately. You have to wait for the whistle to come off nice and smooth without any pressure.

Mean while in a shallow pan heat oil. Add the mustard seeds, inguva, curry leaves. Once they start to splutter add the cooked lentil and tomato mixture. Add salt, red chilli powder and half cup of water. Adjust seasoning and cook for 5 minutes or till the water is evaporated. I like the consistency to be a little thick, but if you prefer a much liquidier (is that even a word) stuff you can add bit more water.

This tastes good with hot rice, ghee and some pickle. However, I have eaten it the way it is as a soup when I make it liquidy or like a stew when it's thick:).