Pulihora Pulusu | Puli Venda Saar

Called Pulihora Pulusu in Telugu and Puli Venda Saar in Tamil, this is a super simple gravy that is eaten with rice and papad. The best part about this recipe is that you need very few ingredients and it gets done in about 15 to 20 minutes. Omit the salt, and you have a low-potassium, low-sodium recipe that is perfectly suited for a renal diet followed by people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

As the Telugu name Pulihora Pulusu suggests, this is essentially a gravy made from the tamarind paste used to make Chintapandu Pulihora or Tamarind Rice. The Tamil and the Malayalam names of this dish indicate how it is made; by boiling tamarind juice.

Tangy and spicy to the core, this dish is a delight. Mix it in some hot rice topped with sesame oil, and enjoy it with roasted or fried papad. Believe you me, it really sets the taste buds tingling.

Some Tips to Make a Great Pulihora Pulusu or Puli Venda Saar 

• The depth of flavour and colour of the Puli Venda Saar or Pulihora Pulusu depends on the tamarind. Use aged tamarind that is dark in colour and is sour. New tamarind, on the other hand, is light brown in colour and sweeter in taste.
• You can adjust the thickness and tanginess of the gravy to your liking by adjusting the amount of water. Diluting the Pulihora Pulusu will make it less tangy as also thinner in consistency.
• If you want less tangy taste, add more water. You can thicken it a bit by adding 1 tsp rice flour mixed in water as it boils. Do not add too much rice flour else the flavour profile will change and the Puli Venda Saar will also become pasty.

How to Enjoy Pulihora Pulusu

• The most common way to enjoy this dish is to mix it with rice and a bit of sesame oil, and then enjoy it with papad.
• Another great way to eat Pulihora Pulusu is as an accompaniment to Ragi Sangati, Idli, or Dosa.

Adapting the Recipe for a Renal Diet

People are combating Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) need to follow a low-potassium, low-sodium, low-phosphorous diet. This severely limits ingredients that we can use to cook, and sometimes that affects the taste. As a result when I can adapt a recipe like this one to create a delicious kidney-friendly dish, I could not be happier.

To adapt this recipe for a kidney diet:

• Omit the salt.
• Reduce the amount of Udad Dal and Chana Dal to 1/2 tsp each.
• Increase the amount of jaggery to 1 tsp.

Please note, I am not a trained dietician or nutritionist. Also, I adapt recipes using general guidelines for a renal diet and share them via this blog so that the wider community benefits. Do consult your nutritionist or doctor, if needed, before using this recipe.

I first posted this recipe in 2016 at the request of one of the followers of my blog, Dr. Srisudha. I am refreshing it now with better pics and more detailed steps.

Pin

How to Make Pulihora Pulusu or Puli Venda Saar

1. Making the Tamarind Pulp
   1. Soak a 2″ ball of deseeded tamarind (1.5 packed tablespoons or 30 gms of tamarind) in 1/2 cup of warm water for 5 minutes.
      Pin
   2. Mash the soaked tamarind well and squeeze out all the pulp. Discard the tamarind. I keep the tamarind and add a second round of water to it to extract any residual pulp.
      Pin
      
   3. Set aside.
2. Making the Pulihora Pulusu (Puli Venda Saar)
   1. In a heavy-bottomed vessel, heat 2 tsp of sesame oil.
   2. Add 1/2 tbsp udad dal and 1/2 tbsp chana dal.
      Pin
   3. Stir-fry till they are light brown in colour.
   4. Now add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds.
      Pin
   5. Stir-fry till the mustard seeds start to pop.
   6. Add 3 to 4 spicy, split red chillies, a few curry leaves, 1/2 tsp of turmeric and 1/4 tsp of asafoetida.
   7. Stir-fry for a few seconds.
      Pin
   8. Add the tamarind extract and some salt.
   9. Let the tamarind extract boil and thicken.
      Pin
   10. Now add 1 cup of water and 1/2 tsp of jaggery.
       Pin
   11. Let the Pulihora Pulusu boil for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Take off the heat and cover.
4. Set aside for at least 10 minutes for the flavour to develop.
5. Serve the Pulihora Pulusu (aka Puli Venda Saar) with:
   • Rice and Papad
   • Ragi Sangati or Ragi Mudde
   • Idli 
   • Dosa   

Pin

Recipe for Pulihora Pulusu or Puli Venda Saar