Hi friends! How many of you love train journeys? I absolutely adore them. There’s a special kind of magic in sitting by the window, watching the world fly by, and unwrapping a parcel of Pulihora packed by my mom. The aroma fills the entire station, making everyone's mouth water. Whether it's a festival, a trip, or a small get-together, Pulihora (South Indian tamarind rice) is a must-have in our home. It holds a place of honor as a 'naivedyam' or offering to the goddess, especially during Varalakshmi Vratam and Dasara Navaratri.
Making Pulihora is quite easy, but many say it's hard to capture that divine taste of the 'prasadam' you get at temples. With a few simple tips, you can bring that exact flavour right into your own kitchen. Today, I'm sharing my mother's recipe for a fragrant, delicious Pulihora that tastes just like the real deal. Come on, let's head to the kitchen!
Method
- First, wash 2 cups of rice thoroughly, add 4 cups of water, and let it soak for about 30 minutes. This step is key to getting perfectly separate grains.
- Add salt to your taste to the soaked rice and pressure cook until you hear 3 whistles, which should take about 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; the rice should have a slight bite.
- Once the pressure has released naturally, immediately spread the cooked rice onto a wide plate or tray. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, then gently mix to break up any lumps and allow it to cool completely for about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a small pan and dry-roast the ingredients for the Pulihora powder—the coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, sesame seeds, and dried red chilies—on low heat for about 5 minutes, until they release a beautiful aroma. Set aside to cool, then grind into a fine powder.
- Next, soak a large lemon-sized ball of tamarind in one cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Once soft, squeeze it well to extract a thick pulp, making sure to discard any fibrous bits.
- In a large kadai or pan, heat 1/2 cup of oil. Once hot, add your tempering spices: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, and peanuts. Sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until the dals turn a lovely golden-brown.
- Now, add the slit green chilies, broken dried red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida, and continue to sauté for another 1 minute. Follow this with the tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, jaggery, and enough salt for the paste, stirring everything together well.
- Let this mixture simmer on low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a paste and you see the oil separating at the edges. The Pulihora pulusu, or paste, is now ready.
- Finally, it's time to assemble. Add the prepared tamarind paste to the completely cooled rice, a little at a time. Sprinkle the freshly ground Pulihora powder over it and mix gently with your hands for about 5 minutes to ensure every grain is coated without breaking.
- Cover the Pulihora and let it rest for at least 1 hour. This allows all the beautiful flavours from the paste and powder to infuse into the rice, making it incredibly delicious. That's it, your divine, temple-style Pulihora is ready!