Horse Gram Lentil Curry / Kongunadu Kollu-Paruppu Masiyal. Traditional Kongunadu – Coimbatore style horsegram / kollu paruppu masiyal recipe. Kollu or ulavalu pappu as its called makes an excellent curry for rice. With step by step pictures and video.
Horsegram lentil curry/ kollu paruppu quintessentially belongs to the Kongunad region of Tamilnadu. Its a staple in everybody’s home. Its called horsegram as its a staple fodder for the horses. There is a saying in tamil – இளைத்தவனுக்கு எள்ளு, கொழுத்தவனுக்கு கொள்ளு which means sesame seed for the lean guys and horsegram for the fat guys. Horse gram aids in weight reduction. Horsegram lentil has a lot of medicinal properties. Its been used extensively in Indian alternative medicine.
Click the link below to find the recipes on the site that uses the main ingredient as Horsegram Lentil.
Horsegram lentil recipes
Here are some of the equipment, utensils and gadgets that will be useful for making this recipe. Click the link to buy them online.
Buy Online
Here is the video of how to make Kollu paruppu masiyal and kollu paruppu rasam
First, we need to boil the lentils. Horsegram/kollu needs to be cleaned first. It almost always has some small stones and sand particles. Just take half a cup of lentils and spread it on a plate and slowly remove the stones and sand. Wash thoroughly for 2-3 times in running water. Pressure cook half a cup of lentils in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. About 10-12 whistles. While pressure cooking, if you face the problem of water from inside the cooker leaking out of the whistle opening, check this post to know how you can avoid it. Cook the lentils and drain off the excess water. Reserve the water for later use. The lentil water / broth will be used for making kollu rasam. Click here for the rasam recipe.
Its a fairly simple recipe. The lentils are boiled and tempered with a dry roasted spice powder. A teaspoon each of cumin, pepper and coriander seeds are dry roasted with 2 sprigs of curry leaves, 1 dried red chilli (optional) and ground to a smooth powder. Dry roast these spices on a low flame until one can smell the aroma of the seeds and the curry leaves are dry. Allow it to cool in the pan before grinding. Grind the spices and set aside.
Now, take a pan and add a teaspoon of sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add in a chopped onion, 5 cloves garlic and saute briefly for a minute until the onions are soft. Add in the salt and tomatoes and saute for a minute more. If you do not like garlic, omit it or just add one clove.
Add in the ground masala and saute to combine. Add in the lentils and quarter cup of water. Remove off heat and let the mixture cool a bit. Grind the lentils to a coarse paste.
Serve the lentils hot with rice. If you are feeling fancy, add a tempering to the lentils. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add a couple of dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry till the curry leaves are crisp. Just pour the tempered mixture on top of the lentils. Serve hot with rice.
Horse Gram Lentil Curry / Kongunadu Kollu-Paruppu Masiyal / Ulavalu Pappu
Traditional Kongunadu – Coimbatore style horsegram / kollu paruppu masiyal recipe. Kollu Paruppu makes an excellent curry for rice.
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the Dry Roast Masala Powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 dried red chilli (optional)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
For the curry
- 1 teaspoon Indian sesame seed oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup horsegram lentil cooked in 3 cups water
For the tempering (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Indian sesame seed oil
- 2 dried red chilli
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Instructions
- For the Dry Roast Masala Powder – Dry roast the spices on a low flame until one can smell the aroma of the seeds and the curry leaves have become dry. Allow it to cool in the pan before grinding. Grind the spices and set aside.
- Clean the lentils and wash them thoroughly. Pressure cook the lentils in water for 15 minutes or 10-12 whistles. Drain the water. Set aside. (Reserve the water for making rasam).
- Take a pan and add a teaspoon of sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add in a chopped onion, 5 cloves garlic and saute briefly for a minute until the onions are soft. Add in the salt and tomatoes and saute for a minute more. If you do not like garlic, omit it or just add a clove.
- Add in the ground masala and saute to combine. Add in the lentils and quarter cup of water. Remove off heat and let the mixture cool a bit. Grind the lentils to a coarse paste.
- Add a tempering to the lentils – Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add a couple of dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry till the curry leaves are crisp. Just pour the tempered mixture on top of the lentils.
- Serve hot with rice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dal / Lentil Dishes
- Cuisine: South Indian
Kollu masiyal was really tasty for an easy recipe, will be making it frequently.. Thanks a lot, I plan to try it with a blend of soaked Horse gram, Black beans and may be even some Rajma…
Thank you!
I made this dish today. Oh….my…. gosh love it! I added 2 green chilis when saute-ing instead of one red dry chili. I love spicey. This definitely hit the spot. Thank you so much. I hooked on to your blog now 🙂
Thank you so much. Horsegram masiyal is my favourite too!
Hey there… Was looking for a recipe which did not have the standard ginger garlic paste and found your recipe which seemed simple I used cumin coriander and pepper powder instead of dry fry and powdering them Skipped the tomato Wasn’t really sure how it would turn out Surprise Surprise It was great It has a rasam kind of flavour enchanced with the Horsegram taste
Will look up more of your recipes next time
Thank you!
Hi,
Please mention the size of the cup you used.
Is it 250ml cup for all the recipes ?
Thanks.
Yes. 1 cup is around approx 240 ml.
Great kongunad Recipes ! I am from Dharapuram near Coimbatore. I am great fan of your cooking blog. Can u post making coimbatore style vendhiya satham :). Thank u 🙂
Thanks Loganayaki. Will post soon.
you are simply amazing Kannamma! Thanks for reviving our age old cooking traditions through your blog! Wow to your humble effort!
Thank you!
Your foods are specticular… Love it…i cooked your chicken kurma n love it
Thank you so much!
Can i try this recipe with black kollu. Which is organic one.here im n orissa where black one is available
Sure. you can try. I am hearing black horsegram for the first time though.
Hi,
Do we need to soak horse gram overnight for this recipe ?
Thanks
No need to soak. Pressure cook half a cup of lentils in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. About 10-12 whistles.
Hi Suguna. Tried but pappu and rasam..it was simply superb. I am great follower of ur blog and ensure ur recipe is cooked at once in a week. I too belong to Cbe from Telugu speaking family.. so it feels like home following ur blog. Thanks
Thank you Priya!
Can you make sundal with kollu?
Yes. You can.
Tried without adding tomato but it is superb
Thank you so much. Horsegram masiyal is my favourite too!
Madam
Today I tried this.. Ummm… Yummy.. I am bad at cooking but today i myself surprised??
Thank you so much. Horsegram masiyal is my favourite too!
Hi Suguna, I started following your blog recently and I love the way you present all your recipes. Tried this paruppu masiyal today and it tasted yumm. Hot rice, ghee and kollu paruppu masiyal is what I am looking fwd for today’s lunch. And Kollu rasam is on the menu for tomorrow 🙂
Thank you so much Subhasini. Kollu paruppu is my all time favorite paruppu. Happy cooking!
Hey Suguna,
I am gowthami, also from kongu nadu region . My native is near Tirupur. I am living in Switzerand for 3 years now, came here for my Masters and currently working here. Kollu paruppu and rasam are favorite receipe of any kongu people and I tried your, It came out very well. I just loved it. Thought I should share the message with you.
Looking forward for more recipes.
Cheers,
Gowthami
Thank you so much Gowthami! Yup! Kollu is my favorite too. I am happy you are able to cook homestyle food in Swiss! Happy cooking!
Tried this yesterday, came out great. Thank you! I saved some paruppu for rasam too, will try that tonight. Your blog is my go to place for recipes 🙂
Thank you so much for writing this Sona. It means a lot to me.
I was in CBE 2 weeks ago, I would have met you if you have were there. Btw, kongunadu koli kulambu is my family’s favorite. I make it every week even though I don’t eat chicken. Thanks!
wow! Thank u so much!
Made Kollu rasam and paruppu masiyal. Came out superb. Ulava chaaru is famous in AP. I keep hearing about it, but never made one. First time, I tried ulava chaaru.. such great taste. Thanks for the recipe
Thank You Sunita. Its our house favorite too!
I tried this recipe today and it was very tasty and was great with rice. I used the water from boiling the kollu to make the rasam from your website’s recipe and that also turned out super! Thank you for this wonderful recipe…
Thank you so much Poornima. Thanks for writing in. I am glad to know your family liked it.
🙂