PULI INJI & PULIKAACHAL

Puli inji / injikkari is a part of every feast. It is a slightly different version of pulikaachal – this one has more ginger and green chillies.

Ingredients -

Tamarind – 2 lemon sized balls (soaked in warm water and thick pulp extracted)

Turmeric powder– ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Jaggery – 2-3 tsp

Asafetida – ¼ tsp

Green chilli – 4-5 – finely chopped

Ginger – 2” – finely chopped

Sesame oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Bengal gram dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 10-12

Salt to taste

White sesame seeds – 1 tsp – dry roasted and powdered

Method

Extract the tamarind pulp adding just enough water – if you add too much water it will take a longer time to thicken).

Start heating.

Add turmeric and red chilli powders, salt, and jaggery. Heat the oil and add mustard, urad, Bengal gram dal. When they splutter, add asafetida, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves to it and then add it to the tamarind mixture.

Boil it well till it becomes thick. It will taste like spicy khatta-meetha (sweet-sour) chutney.

If it is watery, you can thicken it by adding 1tsp wheat flour / rice flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water and boiling for some more time.

Add roasted sesame seed powder.

Tips –

A tsp of sambar powder can be added to the boiling mixture to enhance the taste.

If you add a little more oil and thicken the final mixture, it can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Puli kaachal

This tastes good with molagoottals, molagooshiam and erissery.

Ingredients -

Tamarind – 2 lemon sized balls (soaked in warm water and thick pulp extracted)

Turmeric powder– ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Jaggery – 3-4 tsp

Asafetida – ¼ tsp

Green chilli – 4 5 – finely chopped

Ginger – 1 ½” – finely chopped

Sesame oil – 1 ½ tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp.

Bengal gram dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 10-12

Salt to taste

White sesame seeds – 1 tsp – dry roasted and powdered

Method -

Extract the tamarind pulp adding just enough water. Start heating.

Add turmeric and red chilli powders salt, and jaggery.

Heat the oil and add mustard, urad, Bengal gram dal. When they splutter, add asafetida, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves to it and then add it to the tamarind mixture.

Boil it well till it becomes thick. It will taste like spicy khatta-meetha (sweet-sour) chutney.

If it is watery, you can thicken it by adding 1tsp atta/ rice flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water and boiling for some more time. Add roasted sesame seed powder.

Tips –

A tsp of sambar powder can be added to the boiling mixture to enhance the taste.

If you add a little more oil and thicken the final mixture, it can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.