Togari Kaalu Saaru

Togari Kaalu is the fresh whole form of Tuvar Dal, also known as Pigeon Peas. It is quite common to find it in the markets during the winter months. They can be shelled and stored in the fridge for a week.
The grams are greenish with red spots on them.
This saaru is made from the pigeon peas and the recipe source is my m-i-l.
The saaru can be mixed with rice and eaten and it  also serves as a side-dish for chapati and dosas.

Ingredients:

1. Togari Kaalu - 2 cups
2. Onions - 3
3. Garlic - 8-10 pods
4. Peppercorns - 1 tsp.
5. Tomato - 1 large or 2 small
6. Grated coconut - 3-4 tsp.
7. Coriander leaves - 4-5 sprigs
8. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
9. Sambhar powder - 1 tsp.
10. Oil - 6 tsp.
11. Mustard - 1/2 tsp.
12. Rock salt - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Boil the pigeon peas with a little more than enough water to submerge them, in a pressure cooker with salt added, for 3-4 whistles.
2. Chop the onions length-wise.
3. In a mixie, puree together tomatoes, pepper, garlic, coconut, coriander and curry leaves till it forms a smooth paste.
4. In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds.
5. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onions and fry well for around 5 mins.
6. Add the boiled peas with the water, the ground masala  paste and sambhar powder.
7. Stir well and boil for around ten mins till the gravy thickens and the raw smell of tomato is gone.
8. Switch off the flame when the desired consistency is reached.
9. Serve with chapatis or rice.