Soak Paiyar parappu (Moong dhall) for about 2 hours . Strain and remove all the water. set aside. 

Take baby Podulankaas, cut ends carefully and make a long slit such that the podulanka looks like a boat. Carefully remove all the seeds and other pithy parts and clean the inside properly. Apply a little salt and oil in the inner surface and keep aside.  If you can't get small podulankas, you may use regular ones which are very tender and have a maximum diameter of about 1. 5". Cut in 6" length and use the same method of cleaning as above. Plug both the ends with rather large piece of podulanka it self. 

Slice onion in thin slices, make a rough paste of Green chillies and Ginger and set aside.

Coarsely powder Jeera and pepper and set aside. 

Pluck Kothumalli leaves and cut finely and set aside. 

Take oil/Ghee in a kadai add mustard seeds. When mustard starts popping, reduce the flame to sim and add sliced onions and salt. Sauté till onion is translucent. Add either Asafoetida or thinly sliced Garlic, after ten seconds , add soaked dhall and add all the dry spices. Also add half the kothumalli now. 

Add little water and cover. From time to time check and add water and continue heating. Within ten to fifteen minutes, the dhall would be almost done and it will be dry. 

Remove from stove and allow it to cool. Now taste for salt and other spices. 

Take each podulanka and carefully fill it up with dhall curry. Arrange in a non stick pan carefully in such a manner that the split part is on top. If you want to be careful, tie a thread in the middle so that the filling does not spill. 

Take a little oil in a Thalikka karandi (tampering ladle) and add a pinch of mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle, add it carefully to non stick pan on sides. Add about a cup of water and a little bit of salt. Cover the non stick pan and steam cook the podulankkas for ten to twelve minutes. Check in between if the cooking is done.  You can also use pressure cooker to cook stuffed podulanka. You can place all the stuffed pieces in a waterless seperator and have water in the lower separator. Pressure cook for only one or two whistles as it gets cooked very fast). 

When over, the water would have got evaporated and cooked podulankka with Dhall would be ready to be served. Garnish with rest of the kothumalli and lemon juice ,serve hot with rice, chappathis . 

Enjoy!!!

I know that you would post in your feedback. 

 

Back to Curries