Procedure:

Take pigeon peas on a paper plate & microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Add coriander seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Mix all the seeds with a spoon and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir again with a spoon and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Cool the roasted ingredients for a while and finely powder them in a mixer grinder. Store the charu podi in an airtight jar.

Charu:

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes – 3 (200gms)
• Drumsticks – 2
• Water – 600ml
• Sugar – 1/2tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/8tsp
• Salt to Taste
• Tamarind – marble Sized
• Red Chilies – 2
• Fenugreek Seeds – 4 Seeds
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2tsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1/2tsp
• Curry Leaves – Few
• Asafoetida – 1/8tsp
• Ghee – 1tbsp
• Charu Podi – 1tsp
• Chopped Coriander – 2tbsps

Preparations:

Wash and clean tomatoes. Chop one tomato into small pieces and place them in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chopped tomato on high power for one minute stirring once after 30 seconds. Cut the remaining 2 tomatoes into big pieces and keep aside. Wash drumsticks and cut them into finger length pieces. Take the cut drumstick pieces into a microwave safe bowl and add some water. Microwave the drumsticks on high power for one minute, stir once and again microwave on high power for one more minute. After one minute standing time remove the drumstick bowl from oven. Take tamarind into a microwave safe bowl, add some water and soak for some time. Microwave tamarind for 30 seconds, cool it and grind it to a fine paste. Break red chilies into pieces and keep them aside.

Method:

Take 600ml water in a bowl and heat it. Add sugar, salt, turmeric powder and tomato pieces to the water and let it boil. When the tomato pieces are three-fourths done, add the cooked tomato and tamarind paste. Stir with a spoon and add cooked drumsticks. Let the charu boil for a while and add charupodi and mix. As soon as we add the charupodi the charu at once boils. Season the charu.

For seasoning heat a pan and add ghee to it. When ghee is hot add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Fry till the seeds splutter and add red chili pieces, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add this seasoning to the charu and immediately cover the vessel. After few minutes transfer charu to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain rice and muddapappu.