Pepe diye Kancha moong daal...........Lentils cooked with Raw Papaya.

Raw papaya or pepe is very good for the stomach.My mother used to put raw papaya in "sheddo" (boiled) almost everyday.My father would have the boiled papaya with his rice for lunch.It was like a tonic for them to keep their body functions well oiled. Boiled papaya and 2 cloves of raw garlic....that's what takes, to keep the doctor away...at least in our household.
I could eat the papaya fruit but papaya the vegetable I started eating much later.Even today my initial reaction to a full fledged "peper tarkari" (vegetable of raw papaya) would a cringe.I can eat this vegetable either in a lentil....like the one for which this post is or covered in gram flour.I will share the gram flour recipe sometime...that is not a bong way of making this vegetable.I believe it is the rajasthani way.

For making the daal
Raw papaya- 2 cups( peeled, seeded and cubed about 1 inch)
Moong daal-2/3 cup
Turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
Sugar-1 teaspoon
Salt-to taste

Daal Tadka
Ghee-1 tablespoon
Bay leaf-1 big
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Chili-2-3 (Red /green)

Take a pressure cooker and pressure cook the raw papaya with the moong dal.Add a little salt,turmeric and sugar in the pressure cooker.Cook till 1 whistle and allow the pressure cooker to cool a little so that you can open the lid.Now take a small pan,heat the ghee in the pan and add all your item for tadka- the bay leaf,chilies and cumin seeds.Open the lid of the pressure cooker and add the tadka to the boiled daal and papaya.Now put the lid back and pressure cook just till the point where the cooker forms enough steam.Turn off the heat just before it whistles.

This daal is mild but has a beautiful taste.It's ideal for a hot sultry afternoon with hot rice and any "bhaja"(Fries) on the side.