Pitla / Kootu

Ingredients:

For Pitla:
ToorDal - 1 Cup
Peanuts - 3/4th Cup
Tamarind
Salt
Vegetables
- Karli (Bitter Guard) - 1 karli cut circles
- White Pumpkin - 3/4th cup, cut big chunks/cubes
- Potato - 1 potato, cut into cubes
- Beans - 1/2th cup
- Gawar Beans (Mattikayalu/Goru chikkudu) - 1/2 cup
Note: We can either use all the above vegetables for this dish or use single vegetable in more quantity.

For Masala:
Chanadal - 2 tsp
Uraddal - 1 1/2 tsp
Whole Black Pepper - 1tsp
Red Chillies - 6
Dry Coconut
Oil

For Tadka/Poopu:
Oil
Mustard Seeds
Karvepak
Hing
turmeric

Procedure:

Masala Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add all the masala ingredients except coconut and fry them till they turn golden brown.
3. Take them out in a plate and put the coconut in the pan and fry it for few seconds.
4. Grind all the masala ingredients.
5. Add water for grinding if required.

Pitla Preparation:

1. In two seperate vessels, Pressure cook Toordal and all the vegetables(except karli)
   Optional: Deep fry karli in oil and keep it aside.
2. Take a vessel and add few tea spoons of oil for tadka.
3. Add mustard seeds, once they start spluttering add hing, karvepak and turmeric.
4. Add tamarind water to tadka.
5. Once tamarind water starts to boil: add Dal, above prepared Masala and salt. Mix well
6. Let it boil well.
7. Pitla is now ready to serve.