Pulihora
An authentic vegetarian recipe from Andhra Pradesh, India
Cook Time
25 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
EasyCategory
VegetarianIngredients
For 4 servings
400g Cooked rice, cooled
60g Tamarind
30g Sesame seeds (white)
50g Peanuts, raw
6piece Dried red chillies
3piece Green chillies, slit
20piece Curry leaves
5g Mustard seeds
15g Chana dal
10g Urad dal
4g Turmeric powder
1g Asafoetida (hing)
50ml Sesame oil (gingelly oil)
10g Jaggery, grated
10g Salt
15 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
Soak tamarind in 200 ml warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze and extract thick tamarind pulp, discarding the fibres and seeds.
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Dry roast sesame seeds in a pan over low heat until they turn golden and start to pop. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. Set aside.
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Dry roast peanuts in the same pan until the skins blister and the nuts are golden. Cool, rub off the skins, and set aside.
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Heat sesame oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden.
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Add dried red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, jaggery, and salt. Stir well and cook on medium heat for 8–10 minutes until the mixture thickens and the raw tamarind smell disappears. The paste should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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Add the roasted peanuts to the tamarind paste and mix well.
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Spread the cooled cooked rice in a wide bowl. Pour the tamarind paste over the rice in batches, mixing gently with your hands or a spatula to coat every grain without breaking the rice.
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Add the ground sesame powder and mix again. Taste and adjust salt and tamarind.
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Let the pulihora rest for 10 minutes before serving so the flavours absorb into the rice.
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Chef's Tips
Use day-old rice or rice cooked with slightly less water — freshly cooked hot rice will turn mushy when mixed with the tamarind paste.
Sesame oil is essential for authentic pulihora; do not substitute with refined oil as it changes the flavour profile entirely.
The tamarind paste must be cooked until thick and glossy — undercooked paste makes the rice soggy.
Pulihora tastes even better after a few hours as the rice absorbs the tamarind flavour; it is a popular prasadam in Andhra temples.
About This Dish
Pulihora is a traditional vegetarian dish from Andhra Pradesh, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- Use day-old rice or rice cooked with slightly less water — freshly cooked hot rice will turn mushy when mixed with the tamarind paste. - Sesame oil is essential for authentic pulihora; do not substitute with refined oil as it changes the flavour profile entirely. - The tamarind paste must be cooked until thick and glossy — undercooked paste makes the rice soggy. - Pulihora tastes even better after a few hours as the rice absorbs the tamarind flavour; it is a popular prasadam in Andhra temples.
Category
Vegetarian
Cook Time
25 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy