Andhra Pulihora

Ingredients
Sona Masoori rice(uncooked) - 6 cups(1cup-6ounce,the cup which comes with our Electric Rice cooker).

Tamarind(Puli) - 36 number of one inch pieces(or 2 lemons sized of tamarind)
water- 13.5cups.1.5 cup water for soaking the tamarind
and 12cups water for cooking the rice.
Green chillies - 15 nos
(make small slits)
Curry leaves - 1 bunch
Red chillies - 5 nos
Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 1 1/2 " piece
(finely minced)
Turmeric powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - 4.5 tsp
cashew nuts - 2tbspoons
Ground nuts(peanuts) - 1/2 cup
(roasted)
Bengal gram(channa dal) - 1/2 cup
split and washed Black gram(urad dal/minnapappu) - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 1/8 cup
Oil - 1 cup
Cumin seeds(Jeera) - 1 tsp
Asafoetida(hing) - 1 pinch(optional)

Pre preparation :
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1).Rinse and soak channa dal in one cup of warm water for 1 to 2 hours.
2).Rinse the tamarind and soak it in 1.5 cup of warm water for 1hour or microwave it for 7 mins with 1.5 cup of water and extract the pulp out of the tamarind and discard the waste.(total extract will measure to 1.5cup)
3).Mix the soaked channa dal with washed and drained rice, and pressure cook it with 12cups of water.optional-Add either 1tsp of oil or 1tsp of lemon juice to the rice before cooking to get grainy and fluffy rice.
4).Grind 1.5tsp of mustard seeds + pinch of hing + 1red chilli to fine powder and keep aside.
5).Mix 1/4th cup of oil with 1/2tsp of turmeric powder and keep aside.
6).Peel and mince/grate the ginger finely and keep aside.And also slit the green chillies and keep aside.



Preparation Method


1).Making the puihora paste : Heat oil in a pan.Add 1tsp bengal gram/channa dal, black gram and 2 tsp of mustard seeds.Once they splutter, add roasted grounduts and cashews and saute for a while.Then add cumin seeds, ginger, green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves and saute for a while.Now add the tamarind pulp and saute for another 2 mins.Cover and cook for 8 mins on medium flame, until the oil separates.Add sugar, salt and turmeric and switch off the stove.Pulihora paste is ready for usage or storing in airtight container after cooling.

2).Setting the rice in a platter for mixing the pulihora :Spread the cooked rice in a flat pan/rice platter and make 2-3 holes with you finger on rice and pour the oil-turmeric mixture over it and cover it with rice again.put some curry leaves and slit green chillies in the same way.

3).Mixing the pulihora : Add the cooked ground (mustard-redchilli-asafoetida)mixture and pulihora paste to the above rice and mix well .Adjust the salt/chillies accordingly.

Serve the pulihora.Normally this pulihora doesnot need any sauces .But goes good with yogurt or carrot raitha.


Note :

1).Rice should not be sticky. Adjust the water as per your rice quality. Sometimes, rice may need little less/little more water for cooking. For better results, add few drops of lemon juice or oil to the rice while cooking to avoid sticking.
2) Add as much curry leaves for better flavour.
3). Pulihora paste can be stored in a refrigerator for 1-3 weeks.
4). I use exact measures of the ingredients as mentioned above everytime. Please adjust the chillies and salt as per your taste.