Andhra classic rice item: Tamarind rice (Chintapandu Pulihora)

Last Updated on February 18, 2015

I remember once somebody asked me, what do you add for the gravy to get thick. Actually this particular recipe uses no thickening agent. This is how my mom and my Grand Ma makes it. We need to cook the tamrind pulp till it gets thick.

Peanuts- 1/2 cup
Dry red chilly-8
Green chilly- 5
Few curry leaves
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Chana dal- 2 tsps
Urad dal- 2 tsps
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Few generous pinches of hing
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Cook 1 cup of rice in 2 1/4th cup water. Once cooked spread it and let it dry for few minutes.

Soak the tamarind in 1 1/2 cups of warm water. After 15 minutes, squeeze the pulp.

In a pan put a tsp of oil and fry the peanuts till light brown.

In a pan put 5 tsps of oil and the dry red chillies. In medium heat slowly fry the red chillies till they become completely black.

Then add the mustard seeds, Chana dal, urad dal and slit green chilly. Fry for few seconds.

Now add the tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, hing, curry leaves, salt and sugar.
Mix and cook for ten minutes till the gravy gets little thick.

At this point the mixture will be very tangy and salty.

Add the spicy tangy tamarind paste to the cooked rice to desired consistency.
Adjust the salt and sugar if required.

Finally add the fried peanuts.

Sending this to Favourite Recipe event at Zesty South Indian Kitchen