Gongura Pulihora

Serves – 3
Preparation time – 10 mins
Cooking time – 30 mins
Ingredients:

• Sesame oil – 3 Tbsp
• Basmathi Rice wash the rice and cook to get 4 cups of rice) – 1 Cup
• Onion (finely chopped) – 1/2 medium
• Curry Leaves – 1 Sprig
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida – pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Dry Red Chilli – 1 no
• Tamarind (soak in 1/4 cup of water and extract the juice) – lime size ball
• Sorrel Leaves (tightly packed) – 1 Cup
• Peanuts – 1/4 Cup

For Spice Mix:

• Dry Red Chillies – 8 or to taste
• Coriander Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chana dal – 1/2 Tbsp
• Urid Dal – 1/2 Tbsp
• Sesame Seeds – 3 Tbsp

Process:

For Spice mix:

• Into a pan add 2 tsp of oil and add Dry Red Chillies, chanadal, urid dal, coriander seeds, sesame seeds.
• Fry them on low to medium heat for 2 mins. Turn off the heat.
• Let them cool to room temperature. Grind to a fine powder. Set it aside.

Frying Gongura:

• Add 2 tsp of oil, turmeric powder, gongura leaves, 1/2 Cup of water.
• Add tamarind juice. Cover and cook for 5 mins or until gongura is tender. Turn OFF the heat.
• Cool the mixture to room temperature and blend to a smooth paste.

For Tempering:

• Add remaining oil, when it is medium hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, peanuts, asafoetida, curry leaves.
• Fry them till peanuts turn golden.
• Add in the ground masala.
• Add in the gongura paste, 1/2 Cup of water, salt.Cook for few mins.
• Add onion. Mix well with the seasoning and immediately turn OFF the heat.
• Mix this seasoning properly with the cooked rice. Do not mash the rice, mix until just combined.
• Serve it with papadum or by itself.