Pindi Pulihora (Mango flavored cracked rice)

In Telugu "ravva" means cracked, like Bombay ravva for sooji and godhuma ravva for daliya (cracked wheat). Main ingredient for this recipe is rice ravva. It is different from idli ravva. In Andhra, it is available in stores, sold as rice ravva. It can be made at home in the grinder. Wash rice in water and dry it for a few hours. Then coarse grind the rice. This ravva is used in undrallu or modakas made for Ganesh puja.

Cooking the ravva is more like cooking cous cous in USA.  More than enough water is boiled in a large container, a few minutes after adding ravva, most of the water is drained off. Then the container is covered and heated on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. The resulting mixture is like small grains of sand. It should not be sticky.

In this recipe, instead of tamarind or lemon, I used grated green mango. Of course, in India the mangoes are usually very sour. You have to adjust the amount of mango, according to the sourness of the mango and your taste!

Ingredients:

•      2 cups rice ravva
•      1/2 to 3/4 cup grated green mango
•      Salt to taste
•      1/4 Tsp. Turmeric powder

Seasoning:

•      4 to Tbsp. oil
•      3 to 4 Red chiles
•      2 Tsp. Chana dal
•      2 Tsp. Urad dal
•      1 Tsp. Mustard seeds
•      A few curry  leaves
•      A pinch Hing (Asafetida)
•      1/2 cup peanuts (Optional)

Directions:

1.      Boil nearly 5 cups of water in a thick bottomed large container.
2.      When water is boiling, add a tea spoon of oil.
3.      Add rice ravva while stirring.
4.      When the mixture starts to cook, drain water from the container.
5.      Cook the drained mixture on low flame while keeping it covered.
6.      After 5 minutes, remove from heat.
7.      Mix it well using a long fork.
8.      Add grated mango.
9.      Add 2 table spoons oil, turmeric powder and salt.
10.      Mix it well, transfer to a plate and let it settle.
11.      Heat oil in a pan, add red chiles, and dals.
12.      After 2 minutes, add mustard seeds.
13.      When the seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing.
14.      Add peanuts and let them all cook for a few minutes.
15.      Add seasoning, mix well.
16.      Transfer to a serving dish and keep it covered. 

Pulihora is served along with raita or majjiga pulusu. If eaten after 2 or 3 hours of making, Pulihora tastes nice.

 

 

 

 

Pulihora (Tamarind rice/Tangy flavored rice)

Pulihora, tangy rice dish mixed with spices and garnished with roasted peanuts or cashews and curry leaves is a sort of one course meal when you take it for outside picnics etc. It is usually served with raita which is made by adding cucumber/coconut/tomato etc to curd (yogurt) and seasoned. The aroma of pulihora is enticing and brings memories of mother's or grandmother's kitchens!

Pulihora tastes best after sitting for a couple of hours from the time of preparation.

Cooked rice after adding salt and turmeric:

Seasoning frying in a pan:

Seasoning ready after tamarind paste is cooked:

Ingredients:

•      1 cup long grained rice
•      1 tsp turmeric powder
•      2 to 3 tbsp tamarind paste
•      Salt to taste

For seasoning:

•      5 tbsp oil
•      3 to 4 red chilis
•      1 tsp chana dal
•      1 tsp urad dal
•      1/2 tsp mustard seeds
•      Pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      4 to 5 green chilis cut into long pieces
•      1/2 inch ginger cut into small pieces
•      A few curry leaves
•      1/4 cup roasted peanuts/ cashew (optional)
•      2 tsp roasted sesame powder (optional)

Directions:

1.      Cook the rice so that the grains separate and rice is not overcooked.
2.      Add some oil, turmeric powder, salt and a few curry leaves.

Seasoning:

1.      ** In a heated pan, add 3 tbsp. of oil.
2.      When oil is hot, add red chilis and the seasoning.
3.      When the mustard seeds splutter, add ginger, green chilis, curry leaves and peanuts.
4.      Add tamarind paste.
5.      Add a pinch of turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt.
6.      Let it cook till oil separates (when the tamarind loses its raw smell).
7.      Add this paste to the rice mixture.
8.      Mix thoroughly.
9.      Add sesame powder and mix well.

Note:

The tamarind mixture (pulikachal) can be kept in a bottle for later time use. Great as an
instant pulihora mix while traveling!
The same mixture can be added to washed and moist poha (flat rice). To make instant poha pulihora, add the mixture, salt and mix well.