Dosakaya (yellow cucumber) Pappu

A lentil preparation with the yellow cucumber.  A favourite with the people of Andhra.  It's strange that a simple dish even with the same ingredients tastes different when made by different people.  It took me a while to get this dal right.  And I think it is time to record it here.  The picture is not great , but nevertheless...

Ingredients -
Tuvar (red gram dal) - 1/2 cup
Yellow cucumber - 1 small - peel, de-seed and cut int 1/2" pieces
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Green chilies - 2-3 slit lengthwise
Ginger - 1/4" piece finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Jeera (cumin) 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - large pinch
Garlic - 2-3 pods chopped
Red chilies - 1-2
Curry leaves - few

Pressure cook the tuvar dal till soft with turmeric
Take a wok, add oil and the seasonings.
When the mustard crackles add the onion, tomato, green chilies, ginger.  sauté 

Add the cucumber pieces, salt, water and simmer till the pieces are just cooked and soft but not mushy

Add the dal.  Mix well.

Simmer for a couple of minutes and take off stove and serve  hot.

It has a nice unusual taste because of the cucumber and is just great with hot rice.