Add toor dal to a cooker or a large bowl. Rinse at least thrice. Drain the water. Pour 1 cup water to the dal.

Then add tomatoes, tamarind, green chilies and turmeric.

Pour 1½ cups water to the pressure cooker or instant pot and place the rack or bottom plate.

Place the dal bowl inside in your cooker and cover. If you want you can also cook the rice in the same cooker, for this simply rinse your rice in another bowl, pour water and place it over the dal bowl.

Pressure cook on a medium heat for 3 whistles. If you are coking directly in the cooker, then cook until you hear 2 whistles. If using Instant pot set the timer to 10 minutes.

Once the pressure drops open the lid. Add salt and mash the dal to slightly coarse or smooth texture to suit your taste. To adjust the consistency you can very well add more hot water.

Heat a pan with ghee or oil. Add cumin, mustard. When they begin to splutter, add red chilies, garlic and curry leaves. If needed you can add more green chili as well.

Fry till the leaves turn crisp. Add red chili powder & hing (optional). Quickly stir in the pan and pour the mashed dal to the tempering. Alternately you may pour the tempering to the dal.

Mix well and do not cook further to avoid splatters. Serve tomato pappu with with rice, ghee and avakaya.

Rinse and Soak the dal for 30 minutes. Drain the water. Pour 1 cup water and bring to a rapid boil.

Lower the heat and cook on a medium to low flame for 3 to 4 mins. Remove any froth that arises on top with a spoon and discard. Cook until the pappu is soft and completely cooked

If your pappu is undercooked, simply pour more hot water and cook until soft.

While the dal cooks, In another pan heat ghee or oil. When hot add mustard, cumin, red chilies and garlic. When the garlic turns aromatic, stir in curry leaves.

Stir in red chilli powder, turmeric & hing. Add the tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and pulpy. Add this to the soft cooked pappu. Mix well and taste test. Adjust salt as needed.