July 4, 2021

Puliyogare: Mouth Watering Delight from South India

History and Origin

Puliyogare, also known as pulihora, puliyodarai, pulinchuru, kokum rice, or simply tamarind rice, is a very common and traditional rice preparation in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. In South Indian languages Puli means ‘tangy’ or ‘sour’, referring to the characterizing use of kokum or tamarind as one of the main ingredients.

It is very likely that India’s history is rooted in Tamilnadu because Iyengars were predominantly Tamizh in origin and might have introduced Puliyodharai to many temples (This is strictly my opinion; there is no definitive proof).

Ingredients

For Puliyogare Gojju (Serves 2)	For Puliyogare Masala Powder (Serves 2)	For Rice (Serves 2)
200 grams tamarind	4 tbsp sesame	4 tbsp oil
4 cup hot water	4 tsp oil	1 tsp mustard
0.5 cup oil	4 tbsp coriander seeds	2 tsp chana dal
2 tsp mustard	2 tbsp cumin / jeera	1 tsp urad dal
2 dried red chilli	2 tbsp urad dal	4 tbsp peanuts
pinch hing / asafoetida	2 tbsp chana dal	2 dried red chilli
few curry leaves	1 tsp mustard	few curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric	1 tsp pepper	4 cup cooked rice
100 grams jaggery	0.5 tsp methi / fenugreek	1 tsp salt
2 tsp salt	0.5 cup dry coconut (sliced)	4 tbsp coconut (grated)
	14 dried red chilli
	few curry leaves

Preparation

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal and peanuts.
Next add 1 dried chilly and few curry leaves and saute for a minute
Next add prepared puliyogary gojju and saute for another minute
Add in cooked rice, salt to taste and mix well, use your hands to mix for best results
Lastly add coconut and mix well
Finally, enjoy puliyogare recipe with curd and papad.

Puliyogare Powder Preparation:

Firstly, in a tawa dry roast 2 tbsp sesame until it turns golden brown.
Transfer to the small blender and keep aside.
In the pan heat oil and roast coriander seeds, cumin, urad dal, chana dal, mustard, pepper and methi.
Roast on low flame until it turns golden brown.
Add dry coconut, dried red chilli and few curry leaves.
Roast until the spices turn crisp and golden brown.
Cool completely and transfer to the same blender.
Blend to a fine powder, puliyogare masala powder is ready.

Puliyogare Gojju Preparation:

In a large bowl take tamarind and soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
Squeeze off the tamarind pulp and keep aside.
In a large kadai heat oil and splutter mustard, dried red chilli, pinch hing and few curry leaves.
Squeeze off the tamarind extract. add water if required and squeeze off the excess pulp.
Now add turmeric.
Cover and boil for 20 minutes.
Further add jaggery, salt to taste and stir well.
Simmer for 5 minutes, or until oil separates.
Add in prepared Puliyogare masala powder and stir well.
Keep stirring until oil separates from the sides.
Puliyogare gojju is ready, cool completely and store in an airtight container for 2-3 months in the refrigerator. use the gojju to prepare rice when required.

Puliyogare Rice Recipe:

In a pan heat oil and splutter mustard, chana dal, urad dal and peanuts.
Now add dried red chilli and few curry leaves. Saute for a minute.
Add prepared puliyogare gojju and saute for a minute.
Add in cooked rice and salt. Mix until the rice is well combined with gojju. For best results use your hands.
Further, add coconut and mix well.
Finally, enjoy puliyogare recipe with curd and papad.