Kandi Pachadi - a traditional south Indian style chutney prepared with toor dal and spices. A perfect side dish to serve with idli, dosa or rice. It is a vegan dish.
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In Telugu, 'kandi' means toor dal, and 'pachadi' translates to chutney. This spicy condiment not only pairs well with traditional South Indian breakfast dishes and rice but also serves as a delicious dip for deep-fried snacks like vegetable pakora, cabbage pakoda and banana bajji.
Ingredients
- Spices, Lentils and Herbs: Toor dal (split pigeon peas), cumin seeds, byadigi red chillies, spicy red chillies, tamarind,
- ingredient 2
- For Tempering: Oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Roast the toor dal for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma.
Step 3: Add both byadigi and spicy red chillies, and fry for a minute until they release aroma and crisp up.
Step 4: Now add cumin, garlic and tamarind. Fry for a minute and switch the heat off.
Step 5: Set the pan aside and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Step 6: Place the cooled mixture in a mixer jar or blender. Add turmeric and salt and grind to a coarse powder.
Step 7: Add water to a coarse powder and grind it again to a paste.
Step 8: Transfer the chutney to a bowl and set it asside.
Step 9: In a small pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Step 10: Once the oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and let them splutter.
Step 11: Now add urad dal followed by curry leaves and asafoetida.
Step 12: Fry for a few seconds until aromatic and switch the heat off.
Pour the tempering over the ground chutney and mix well.
Serve kandi pachadi with hot rice, idli or dosa.
Substitutions and Variations
Curry Leaves: I have used dried curry leaves that I had on hand but fresh ones enhance the flavour of pachadi significantly. Use fresh curry leaves if available.
Sesame Seeds: A spoonful of sesame seeds adds a nutty flavour to the pachadi.
Gluten Free: Check the label to confirm that asafoetida is gluten-free/wheat-free. If you are unsure skip it.
Tips and Tricks
Roasting: Roast toor dal over medium heat until it turns golden brown, ensure to not use high heat as it can cause the dal to burn and develop a bitter taste.
Water: Start by grinding the dry ingredients to a coarse texture, then add a small amount of water and pulse to blend. This method ensures the pachadi retains its coarse texture and thick consistency.
Coarse Pachadi: Traditional kandi pachadi has a slightly coarse texture but grind it until smooth if you prefer a smooth texture.
Tempering: If you are preparing pachadi ahead of time, do tempering just before serving to keep the flavours fresh and aromatic.
Storage
Store leftover pachadi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Take it out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Place it on the kitchen platform at least 30 - 45 minutes before serving it.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with kandi pachadi:
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📖 Recipe Card
Kandi Pachadi (Toor Dal Chutney for Idli, Dosa and Rice)
Equipment
- 1 Mixer Jar
- 1 Skillet/Steel Pan
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Small frying pan
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
For Pachadi
- ½ Teaspoon Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas/Arhar Dal
- 5 Byadigi Red Chillies
- 2 Spicy Red Chillies
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- small lime size Tamarind
- 4 cloves Garlic
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- Salt as required
- ⅓ Cup Water adjust to get right consistency
For Tempering
- 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- handful Curry Leaves
- a pinch Asafoetida
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium heat.½ Teaspoon Olive Oil
- Roast toor dal for 4-5 minutes or until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma stirring frequently.½ Cup Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas/Arhar Dal
- Add both byadigi and spicy red chillies, and fry for a minute until they release aroma and crisp up.5 Byadigi Red Chillies, 2 Spicy Red Chillies
- Now add cumin, garlic and tamarind. Fry for a minute and switch the heat off.½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, small lime size Tamarind, 4 cloves Garlic
- Set the pan aside and allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Place the cooled mixture in a mixer jar or blender. Add turmeric, salt and grind it to coarse powder.½ Teaspoon Turmeric, Salt
- Add water to a coarse powder and grind it again to a paste.⅓ Cup Water
- Transfer the chutney to a bowl and set it aside.
- In a small pan, heat oil over medium heat.1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and let them splutter.½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Now add urad dal followed by curry leaves and asafoetida.½ Teaspoon Urad Dal, handful Curry Leaves, a pinch Asafoetida
- Fry for a few seconds until aromatic and switch the heat off.
- Pour the tempering over the ground chutney and mix well.
- Serve kandi pachadi with hot rice, idli or dosa.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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