Chinta Chiguru Pappu - Tender Tamarind Leaves-Dal

Ingredients:
1 cup chinta chiguru (tender tamarind leaves)- remove the leaves from the stalks
1/2 cup split yellow moong dal (pesara pappu) OR tur dal/red gram lentil/kandi pappu
1 small onion finely chopped
4-5 green chillis (slit length-wise) adjust to suit your spice level
pinch of turmeric pwd
salt to taste

Tempering/Seasoning/Poppu/Tadka:
1 tsp oil
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
¾ tsp cumin seeds
5-6 garlic pods or pinch of asafoetida
2-3 dry red chillis ,de-seed and tear into two
10-12 curry leaves
1 Wash the split yellow moong dal. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, turmeric, onion and green chillis to the washed dal and let it cook till half done, i.e the dal should be half cooked.
2 Slightly crush the tender tamarind leaves with your hand and add to the half cooked dal. Cover and cook on low heat till the leaves and dal are fully cooked and soft.
3 Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, add the cumin seeds, dry red chillis, garlic, curry leaves and fry for a few seconds till you find the flavor of the spices fill your kitchen.
4 Add this tempering and salt to the cooked dal-tender leaves mixture, combine and cook for a minute. Turn off heat and leave covered for a few minutes before serving.
5 Serve with hot steamed rice, ghee, pickle of choice and papad or vadiyaalu.