This rice recipe is from Telugu cuisine. The main ingredients of Tamil Nadu Puliyodharai is tamarind, this version of the rice from Telugu cuisine is made with Gongura leaves which are very sour. When I first tried making the rice I didn’t like the taste much, then the second time around I tried it again with some changes and the result was superb to taste!
Ingredients:
Fenugreek / methi (roasted and ground) – ¼ tsp
Oil – 1 tsp
Red chilly – 6 Nos
Coriander seeds / dhania – 2 tsp
Chana dal / Bengal gram / Kadala Paruppu – 2 tsp
Curry leaves – 2 strands
Sesame Seeds / Ellu / Til – 1 tbsp
Gongura leaves – 3 cups tightly packed
Oil – 1 tbsp to sauté the Kongura
Rice – 1 ½ cup
For tempering:
Oil – 3 tbsp
Mustard / Rai – 1 tsp
Black Gram / Urad dal – 2 tsp
Bengal Gram / Chana Dal – 2 tsp
Peanut – 2 tbsp
Red chilies broken – 3
Curry leaves – 2 strands
Asafoetida / Hing – ¼ tsp oil
Jaggery / Gur – 1 tsp
Salt – To Taste
Method:
Rinse the rice till the water is clear. Drain the water and put it in a vessel. Add 1 ¼ cup of water, ½ spoon of salt and a spoon of oil. Keep the vessel in the pressure cooker, close the lid and cook the rice till one whistle and then lower the flame and let it cook for 5-6 minutes on low flame. Switch off the flame, open the pressure cooker after 10-15 minutes. Take out the rice vessel and transfer it to a plate after 5 minutes. Leave for 10 minutes and then gently separate the rice with a fork.
Note: You can cook the rice directly in the pressure cooker; I have used a separate vessel since it makes the cleaning easy later on. If you are not cooking directly in the pressure cooker then you need to pour in a 1:1 ratio of water in the pressure cooker as well.
Pluck the Gongura leaves from its stem, wash and then pat dry.
Heat ½ tsp oil in a wide bottom non-stick pan. Start off by putting in the red chilies, methi – followed by all other ingredients in to roast and then grind. Then take the dal and roast it on medium flame till the dal becomes golden brown. When it cools down grind it into semi fine powder and keep aside.
In the same pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add the Gongura leaves and fry it on low to medium flame till it wilts. Let it cool and then grind it into a pure and keep aside.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil and add mustard seed. When it crackles, add peanut, Bengal gram and black gram, red chilies and curry leaves.
When all are fried add Asafoetida, stir it and add the paste of Gongura leaves and sugar and stir it for 4-5 minutes or till water evaporates from the paste.
Add the powdered masala, mix and check it. Cook for a couple of minutes and the Puliyodharai gravy is ready.
Let it cool, and then mix in with the rice evenly.
The rice tastes better after an hour of mixing it.
Done!
You can serve this with pickle or papad.
Note: You can use left over rice to make this recipe. Or you can prepare the gravy and bottle it and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
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