Chintapandu pulihara and pulihara pulusu/Andhra Tamarind rice

With Navratri on, work has just tripled. We already have the Bengaluru version of puliyogre paste and puliyogre posted; this one is the Telugu version. Pulihara is a blessing in disguise especially during the festival season. With the dolls up this time as well, the pulihara paste or pulihara pulusu as it is referred to in Telugu came in as a savior, both on time and work.  

 

Thank you Bamma garu for this solution.

Pulihara pulusu/Tamarind rice paste

Tamarind (chinta pandu) 250 gm
Turmeric powder (pasupu) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 10-12
Green chillies 5-6
Jaggery 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak tamarind in warm water until it turns soft. This should take around half an hour or more.

Do not squeeze the tamarind. Instead, add the tamarind and the water to the blender and grind to a soggy paste.

Pour into a pan and place on heat. Add turmeric powder, salt, green chillies, curry leaves and jaggery and leave to boil until the chillies are cooked. A distinct aroma will denote the cooked green chillies. Set aside.

When cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container. Pulihara pulusu or paste stays good for around a month.

Pulihara

Ingredients:

Cooked rice 1 cup
Pulihara pulusu/paste 1 tbsp
Refined cooking oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Red chillies 4
Bengal gram 1 tbsp
Black gram 1 tbsp
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:

Grease hot and cooked rice with oil and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. As they pop, add red chillies, Bengal gram, black gram and a pinch of asafoetida.

Pour the seasoning over the rice. Add the pulihara pulusu/paste, adjust the salt and mix well to evenly spice the rice.

Pulihara is ready to be served.

A must in every Telugu home for any festival, we are enjoying pulihara almost every day this Navratri, thanks to the pulihara pulusu. Building the festive mood, here’s a glimpse of this year’s bommala koluvu/bommai golu/Bombe mane: