Tamarind Rice- Pulihora/Chitrannam

Pulihora is very famous Prasadam in South Indian temples. In Andhra , it is referred as "Pulihora" whereas in Karnataka it is referred as "Puliyogare" and in Tamil Nadu it is called "puliyodharai" or "pulisadham'".

From Wednesday, Shravan month is started, a festive month in Hindu Calendar. This month is also considered Auspicious month .As Hindus consider turmeric powder a symbol of auspiciousness, this dish is cooked on almost all good occasions and festive days. Yesterday was first Shravan Shukrawar (Friday) . This day is devoted for Goddess Laxmi. I did my Var Laxmi Pooja yesterday . And made various Prasadam. Pulihora was one of them. 

Today is our Potluck Party Day and I was wondering which recipe to be posted this month and then I thought ,why don't I post Pulihora as a Recipe then ? So here you go ladies, simple and effortless recipe .

 

Ingredients:

Rice (Sona Masuri) 2 Cups

Red Chilies Dry 2/3

Green Chilies 4/5 (Cut vertically julian way)

Curry leaves handful

Mustard 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp

Ground Nuts 2 tbsp

Turmeric Powder 11/2 tsp

Asafoetida 1 pinch 

Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) - 2 tbsp

Black Gram (Urad Dal) - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 4/5 seeds

Oil 2 tbsp

Tamarind Pulp 3/4 Cup ( add more tamarind for more sourness)

Salt to taste

water as needed

Method :

Cook the tamarind in water using microwave for 3 mins and extract the juice free of all the threads and seeds.

then wash and soak rice ( I preferred Sona masuri than Basmati) in a water before 10 mins of cooking.

Take big vessel full of Water (around 7-8 cups) on a stove. Once water started bubbling,add soaked rice and let it cook. I preferred this process rather using pressure cooker.because you will get grainy cooked rice rather sticky or over overcooked.Strain rice to remove extra water. and spread out on a plate/big bowl to cool down. Mix rice evenly with one tbsp of oil, 1 tsp turmeric and salt to taste without breaking grains and having mashy grains. 

Put frying pan on a stove, add 1 tbsp oil. Once it is heated, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, Once it is crackled,add chana and urad dal, red chilies and green chilies curry leaves, groundnuts.Once it removes raw smell, add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and add tamarind pulp.Let it boil till little oil separates. This can be stored in air container for few days and use whenever you want to make pulihora.

Add rice into it and mix well so that every grain should have soury taste.Remove from vessel.

Take 1/2 tbsp oil in tampering pan, add mustard cumin seeds,curry leaves and red chilies. then add onto top of Rice. You can skip this if you want.

Tamarind Rice / Pulihora Chitrannam is ready!!

Enjoy festive and fasting seasons girls. Also enjoy auspicious month with Pooja.
                                       

I am linking this to Potluck Party Cyber Style

Vegetable Biryani

It was 28th July  day for potluck , but I missed to post as I was busy in another work and could not found time to post yesterday  so I am posting now. I was basically paired with Avika's recipe. She made Vegetable fried rice, which already made last month potluck, so I skipped preparing her Vegetable Fried Rice and prepared Vegetable Biryani from her blog and it came very nice.

Please see below procedure

Ingredients :

Basmati Rice 2 cup 
Onion 1 
Ginger garlic Paste 1 tsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Green Chilies 3-4 chopped 
Tomato 1 chopped
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
Mixed Vegetable 1 Cup ( Carrot, French Beans, Peas etc)
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Cashew/Groundnuts 5-6
Salt to Taste
Oil 3 Tbsp
Water 4 Cup

Method :

 Soak Rice 1 hour in the cold water. Cut the onion in thin slices. Cut green chilies.
If you are using fresh vegetables,cut them all .Boil in a water for 10 mins. I use frozen , so it took me 3-4 mins in the microwave. Keep aside.
Take a Stock Pan. Add Oil. Once it is heated , add mustard,cumin seeds. Once it is splutters, add GG paste, onion and green chilies. Also add ground nuts/cashew nuts.
Once it is become golden brown colour, add all masalas powders listed in the ingredients and then add chopped tomatoes.
Once it is cooked, add mixed vegetables. Add salt to taste.
Add water in it and cover it boils. Meanwhile, wash the rice again.
Once water bubbles, add rice in it and cover with lid.
After 10 mins, just stir carefully so that rice should not broken into pieces.Slow the heat and let it cook in slow flame. Once it is done, add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves and cover again for 2 mins.
And serve hot with any Raita...!!

Vegetable Biryani

 I am linking this to Potluck Party Cyber Style

Bise Bela Bhath

Ingredients :
2 cups dal
4 cups rice
12 tsp dhaniya
½ cup coconut
4 tsp urad dal
6 tsp chana dal
10 red chillies
asafoetida
1 onion, finely chopped
cooked vegetables
(carrot, beans, peas, potato)

Method :
Cook dal along with rice. Fry dhaniya with ½ cup of coconut
Take the red chillies and grind them properly.
Heat some oil and put onion and curry leaves.
Then put cooked vegetables like carrot beans , peas, potato.
Put the ground curry paste and then put the cooked rice.
Allow them cook for at least 20 minutes.

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients :
2 cups rice
2 tomatoes
½ tsp cumin seeds
6 red chillies
a small piece cinnamon stick
2 green pepper, chopped
1½ tsp salt
1 to 2 tsp cooking oil

Method :

Cook rice with less water as you would cook for pulav.
Wet grind tomatoes, cumin seeds, red chillies, cinnamon stick, and salt and keep it aside.
Fry the chopped green peppers in little oil for a few minutes.
Now add the grounded masala and continue to fry for a while.
Add cooked rice to the above and mix it gently.
Serve hot.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients :

3-4 tomatoes chopped
1 onion chopped
3-4 green chilies in vertical way chopped
7-8 curry leaves
one pinch asfoedita
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 table sp. ghee
11/2 cup basmati rice.

Procedure :

First of all keep rice in microwave or in rice cooker for cooking.Mean while we need to make tomoto curry/chutney.
Take a pan . Add ghee ,once it is heated , add asfoedita,mustards,jeera , curry leaves,green chilis and onion. Add ginger garlic paste. Once it turn the color to brown, add red chili powder,turmeric,garam masala,then add tomatoes.Mix well ,then add salt . Keep the lid to cook tomatoes. Once tomatoes cooked well ,mix cooked rice in it and mix well.
Garnish rice with coriander and serve hot. :)

Palak Pulao(Spinach Rice)

The palak pulao can be make in a different way. Either using palak puree or chopped palak.
I make using frozen spinach. Below is the recipe.

Ingredients :

2 cups Basmati rice
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garam masala
1 onion chopped.
cashew nuts chopped
2-3 green chilies chopped
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric ( optional)
salt according to taste.
1 table sp ghee.
2-3 cubes of frozen spinach or one bowl chopped palak.

Procedure :

Hit the pan. Add ghee. Once it is heated ,add shahjeera,black pepper, hing. then add onion,green chilies. then add bay leaves,cashew nuts. Once onion turn to brown color, add ginger garlic paste. Once it is turn brown color, add red chili powder and garam masala, then add 3 cup water in the pan. Once it is half boiled add, spinach cubes.
Once it boiled properly add washed rice in it. Then add salt . and cover pan with lid.
Just check rice is cooked remove from stove.

Serve pulao with any raita.

Please send me the comments if we can add any ingredients in it.