Pulihora Pulusu | Puli Venda Saar
Called Pulihora Pulusu in Andhra and Telangana, and Puli Venda Saar in Tamil, this tangy tamarind-based gravy is eaten with rice, idli, or dosa. It is essentially the same gravy used to make Chintapandu Pulihora or Tamarind Rice, just thinner in consistency.As a bonus, omit the salt, and this becomes a low-potassium, low-sodium recipe suited for a renal diet or kidney diet for people suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease.
Equipment
- 1 Heavy Bottomed Vessel
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 2" Ball Tamarind (Or Thick Tamarind Pulp - 1/4 Cup)
- 1/2 tbsp Udad Dal or Minapappu
- 1/2 tbsp Chana Dal or Senaga Pappu
- 1 tsp Rai or Avalu
- 3 to 4 Red Chillies (Spicy ones)
- 1/4 tsp Hing or Asafoetida or Inguva
- 1/2 tsp Jaggery
- 1/2 tsp Haldi, Turmeric, or Pasupu
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil or Nuvvula Nune
- 1.5 Cups Water
- A Few Fresh Curry Leaves
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
Method to Make Tamarind Pulp
- Soak 2" ball of tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for about 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, using your fingers, mash the tamarind well.
- Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp.
- {Optional} Add 1 cup of water to the tamarind and once again, squeeze out a second round of pulp. Use this in place of the 1 cup water we add later in the cooking process.Note: This is useful if you are unable to squeeze out all the pulp from the tamarind in the first round.
- Discard the tamarind. Note: You can use this leftover tamarind to clean brass idols and vessels.
Method to Make Pulihora Pulusu
- In a heavy-bottomed vessel, heat 2 tsp of sesame oil.
- Add the 1/2 tbsp udad dal and 1/2 tbsp chana dals, and stir-fry till they are light golden brown.
- Now add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds.
- Stir-fry till the mustard seeds start to pop.
- Add 3 to 4 split spicy red chillies, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, and a few curry leaves.
- Stir-fry for 3 to 5 seconds till the chillies start to change colour.
- Add 1/2 cup of tamarind water and salt.
- Over medium flame, let the tamarind simmer and thicken a bit.
- Now add 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp jaggery, and let the Pulihora Pulusu boil for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Let the Pulihora Pulusu (aka Puli Venda Saar) rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve with hot steamed rice, Idli or Dosa.
Notes
To make a kidney-friendly version of this dish that is suited for a renal diet or kidney diet:
- Omit the salt.
- Reduce the amount of udad dal and chana dal.
- Increase the amount of jaggery to 1 tsp.
Nutrition
Calories: 76 kcalCarbohydrates: 11 gProtein: 2 gFat: 3 gSaturated Fat: 0.4 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 397 mgPotassium: 89 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 5 gVitamin A: 187 IUVitamin C: 27 mgCalcium: 28 mgIron: 1 mg