One of my all-time favorite dals, Green Mango Dal (called Mamidikaya Pappu in Telugu) is a delicious, tangy, spicy dal made with toor dal and green, unripe mango. You’ll be surprised at how easy this delightful raw mango dal is to cook, and how perfectly it goes with hot rice and a spoonful of ghee.
Unripe Mango
Mangoes in Indian Cuisine
Mangoes are a staple in Indian cuisine, finding their way into juices, drinks, chutneys, pickles, dals, and curries. Everyone knows Mango Lassi, but I also love Mango Rasayana, a milk-based mango dish that’s delicious with hot rotis. And of course, there’s avakaya, a spicy pickle made with sun-dried unripe mangoes. I always keep a jar in my fridge.
Growing up in India, summer meant three things: school holidays, endless playtime, and mango season.
Banganapalle: The King of Mangoes!
Just as mango is the king of fruits, the Banganapalle variety (named after a town in Southern India) is the king of mangoes. Every summer, our lives were literally centered around this deliciously sweet, slightly tart fruit. No meal was complete without a bowl full of peeled and cut Banganapalle mango, which we enjoyed with the final part of our meal, curd (yogurt) rice. In the afternoons, it was mango milkshake time. My mom would make ‘Mangola’, a shake blended with milk and sugar. So yummy!
How to Make Mamidikaya Pappu (Green Mango Dal)
Undoubtedly, this is one of the easiest dals you can make. I always keep a container of peeled and cut unripe mango in my freezer, just for this dal. I also use it to make the delicious Raw Mango Fenugreek Salsa.
To make sure the lentils are cooked well, I like to pressure cook the toor dal first. I prefer cooking the mango with the lentils, so its tangy flavor gets nicely soaked into the dal. Garlic, methi (fenugreek) seed powder and a simple tempering complete the flavor of this dish.
My favorite way to enjoy green mango dal is with steamed rice and ghee, while biting on tender green chili peppers. Try it, it’s delicious!
Enjoy Mango Dal With Steamed Brown Rice, Ghee, Vegetable, Poppadam and Fresh Green Chili Pepper
Tip: Freeze peeled, cut green mango when it’s in season, and you can make this dal any time of year.
Mangoes contain nutrients, bioactive compounds and fiber. They are a good source of vitamin C, along with vitamins A and E. Toor dal is an excellent source of plant protein and dietary fiber. It also contains folate (folic acid), an important vitamin for all women, especially those planning to become pregnant. This simple, home-style recipe gives you the best of both ingredients in one comforting bowl.
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Green Mango Dal FAQs
What kind of mango should I use? Use a firm, sour, unripe green mango. Since some mangoes are more sour than others, taste the dal and adjust the amount of mango to your liking.
Can I use frozen green mango? Yes! That’s what I do. I keep peeled, cut green mango in my freezer so I can make this dal whenever I want.
What do you serve with Mamidikaya Pappu? Steamed rice with a little ghee is the classic pairing. I love it with tender green chili peppers on the side.
Check out our delicious dals and lentil-based recipes:
- Sambar
- South Indian Palak Dal
- Cucumber Dal
- Delicious Dal Tadka!
- Tomato Fenugreek Dal
- Andhra Tomato Pappu
- Yellow Mung Detox Soup
- Rainbow Chard Lentil Stew
- Opo Squash Yellow Mung Curry
- Instant Pot Moringa Leaf Dal
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Mamidikaya Pappu- Green Mango Dal
Ingredients
- 1/8 Cup Green Mango - Fresh, Peeled, Cut into Small Pieces
- 1/3 Cup Toor Dal - (Split Pigeon Peas)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds - Whole
- 1 Teaspoon Methi Powder - (Ground Fenugreek Seeds)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil - Extra Virgin
- 1 Cup Filtered water
Tempering
- 1 Chili Green Chili Pepper - Small, Slit in Half
- 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal - Split Black Gram
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds - Whole
- 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili
- 6 Leaves Curry Leaves - Split in Half
- 1 Clove Garlic - Fine Cut
Instructions
Instant Pot (IP) Only
- Wash the toor dal in a heatproof bowl, rinse, and add 1 cup of water. Add the peeled and cut mango.Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot’s inner pot, place a trivet inside, and set the bowl of dal and mango on top (pot-in-pot method).Close the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then carefully remove the bowl of cooked dal.
- Add salt, mash with a spoon and set aside.
- Dry and set IP on 'saute' mode, add oil and wait for the 'hot' sign. Add garlic and cook till it is slightly brown. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red and green chili, turmeric powder and methi powder.
- Add pressure cooked dal/mango, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the cooked dal to the pan and stir to mix evenly for a couple of minutes.
Instant Pot + Stove Top
- Repeat steps #1 and #2 above to get pressure cooked dal ready.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and cook till it is slightly brown. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red and green chili, turmeric powder and methi powder.
- Add pressure cooked dal/mango, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the cooked dal to the pan and stir to mix evenly for a couple of minutes.
- Enjoy green mango dal with steamed rice and ghee, while biting on tender green chili peppers.
