Ava Pettina Pulihora | Andhra Tamarind Rice Flavoured with Mustard
Aruna
Ava Pettina Pulihora is a specialty of Andhra Pradesh. It is the traditional Tamarind Rice flavoured with a mustard paste. I love the slight bitterness and the spiciness of the mustard. This vegan Ava Pulihora makes for a nice change and is a complete one-dish meal in itself. As a bonus, you can omit the asafoetida and make it gluten-free as well.
Cuisine American, Andhra, Indian, South Indian, Telangana, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 2People
Calories 344kcal
Equipment
Kadhai
Large Plate
Bowl to cook rice
Ladle Spoon
Ingredients
1/2CupRice
For the Tamarind Paste (See Notes for Substitute)
2"BallBall Tamarind
1/4cupWater
1tspOil(Sesame Oil preferred)
1/4tspJaggery
For the Mustard Paste
1.5tspMustard Seeds
1Dried Red Chilli
1/4tspTurmeric
1tbspWater
For the Tempering
2tspOil(Sesame Oil preferred)
1tspChana Dal
1tspUdad Dal
1tbspPeanuts
1/2tspMustard Seeds
1/4tspAsafoetida(Omit for a Gluten-Free Dish)
Other Ingredients
1/2tspTurmeric
1tspOil(Sesame Oil preferred)
Salt to Taste
A Few Curry Leaves
Instructions
Making the Tamarind Pulp (See Notes for Substitute)
Soak 2 tbsp of tamarind (about a 2" ball) in 1/4 cup war water for 10 minutes.
After the tamarind has soaked, mash it well with your fingers.
Squeeze the tamarind well to extract the pulp and discard the pulp. I got about 2.5 tbsp of thick pulp.
If the pulp is very thick, add 1 tsp of water.
Making the Mustard Paste
Grind 1.5 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 1 red chilli to a coarse powder.
Now add 1 tbsp water and grind the mix to a fine paste.
Set aside.
Getting the Rice Ready
Wash 1/2 cup rice well under running water.
Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Turn off the heat and leave the cooker as is for about 10 minutes. If you take the rice out immediately after the cooker depressurises, the rice will be wet.
Take the rice out and spread it in a plate.
To the warm rice, add 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and salt.
With a gentle hand, mix well and set aside.
Adding the tempering
In a kadhai or tempering ladle, heat 2 tsp oil.
Add 1 tsp udad dal and 1 tsp chana dal.
Stir-fry for a few seconds.
Now, add 1 tbsp peanuts and fry till the dals are light golden brown.
Next, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and 2 split red chillies.
As soon as the mustard seeds start to crackle, turn off the heat.
Add 1/4 tsp asafoetida and a few curry leaves and mix well.
Add the tempering to the rice.
{Optional} If you like your tamarind rice to be spicy, crush the red chillies.
Mix the tempering into the rice.
Cooking the Tamarind Pulp
In a kadhai, heat 1 tsp oil.
Add the tamarind pulp and stir-fry till the oil leaves the sides.
Add 1/4 tsp jaggery and mix well.
Add the fried tamarind paste to the rice and mix well.
Adding the Mustard Paste
Add the mustard paste to the Tamarind Rice and mix well.
Set aside the Ava Pettina Pulihora for 30 minutes.
Enjoy the Ava Pulihora by itself or then with papads (potato chips are also a great accompaniment) and/or yogurt.
Notes
You can use 2 tbsp readymade tamarind paste diluted with 2 tsp water. Of all the readymade tamarind pastes readily available in India, I prefer using the one from Mother's Recipe.