PULUNGARI

There are two types – ‘thenga arachuvitta pulingari’ and ‘podi podicha pulingari’. Neither has any dal. The former has a lot of coconut. If you want to have something light on your tummy, go for the latter which has no coconut. I remember my mother tell me in her seventies – “Yesterday we had sambar with dal and coconut, let it be simple today – may be ‘podi podicha pulingari’!

As this 'koottan' has no lentils, it is ideal with cabbage / beans / 'kothavarakka usili' or 'koottu' / mathan koottu / 'payaru puzhukku' / 'mezhukkuvaratti' / 'idichakka thoran' / urulaikizhangu roast.

(a)Thengai arachuvitta pulungari

Ingredients –

Tamarind – 1 big lemon sized ball (soaked in water)

Ash gourd / bottle gourd – 300 gms - cut in 1” cubes

Brinjal – 1 – cut

Bhendi (Okra) – 7 – 8 – cut in 1”

Arbi (Colocassia) – 3-4 – cubed (pressure-cooked in a little tamarind water)

Snake Gourd (optional) – 50 gms – cut in 1” cubes

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 6-8

To grind –

Mustard seeds – 1 level tsp

Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Whole red chilli – 3 - 4

Raw rice – 1 ½ tbsp

Curry leaves - 7

Grated coconut – 7-8 tbsp

Method -

To grind - Dry roast the mustard and fenugreek seeds in a drop of oil. When they begin to splutter, add the whole red chillies and fry for some seconds and transfer to a plate. Then dry roast the raw rice till it becomes crisp. Add 4-5 curry leaves to the roasted rice and stir for a few seconds. Put all the roasted stuff and grated coconut in the mixer and grind well.

Remove tamarind pulp. 

Add the cut vegetables. Add enough water to cover the vegetables (about 1 ½ cups) and cook covered on a low heat adding turmeric powder and salt.

Keep stirring in between.

When the vegetables become tender, add the ground paste and required quantity of water and boil well. It should not be very thick as it will thicken on cooling.

Take 1 tsp oil in a small kadhai and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves and empty it into the pulungari.

(b) Podi podicha pulungari

This is very light – it has neither lentils nor coconut.

Ingredients -

Tamarind – 1 big lemon sized ball (soaked in water)

Ash gourd / bottle gourd – 300 gms - cut in 1” cubes

Pumpkin – 200 gms - cubed

Brinjal – 1 – cut

Bhendi (Okra) – 6-7

Arbi (Colocasia) – 3-4 – 1” pieces (pressure-cooked in a little tamarind water)

Snake Gourd (optional) – 50 gms – cut in 1” cubes

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 6-8

To powder –

Raw rice – 1 tbsp

Boiled rice – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

Whole red chilli – 3-4

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Method -

To make the powder –

Heat 2 drops oil in a small pan. First add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When they splutter, remove and keep them on a plate. Next, roast both the rice till they are crisp. Add the whole red chillies and stir for a minute and transfer to the same plate. Cool a bit and powder in a mixer.

Extract the tamarind pulp, add a cup or more of water and add the cut vegetables to it.

Add turmeric powder and salt and cook covered on low heat.

Stir in between till the vegetables become tender.

Add 3 tsps of the powder to the cooked vegetables and add water till it has a ‘thin sambar’ consistency. (This will thicken on cooling).

Heat 1 tsp oil and add mustard and fenugreek seeds followed by curry leaves and them to the podi podicha pulungari.

Tips –

You can make this powder and store it. It is used for ‘puliakuthi uppery’ also.

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.