Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Menthula Pulusu/ Fenugreek seeds in Tamarind sauce

Dear Foodies,

Menthula Pulusu is one of the many varieties of pulusu's that Andhra food is graced with. As the name suggests, the main ingredient here is Menthulu or Methi seeds. They add a light tangy flavor to the recipe. But care should be taken in adding them too many can give a bitter taste ! This Pulusu is very simple to make, unlike sambar it does not need any cooked dal and can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:
  • 2 Tbsp - Menthulu/Methi Seeds
  • 2 Tbsp - Toor Dal
  • 2 tsp - Turmeric Powder
  • 2 nos - Red Chillies
  • 2 Tbsp - Kachikaya/Manathakkali Vathal
  • 1 Tbsp - Oil
  • Lime sized ball of Tamarind
  • Salt to taste

Procedure:

  1. Soak the Tamarind in some warm water. If using a microwave, place the tamarind and water in the microwave for about 1 min and let it cool. Extract the pulp and set aside.
  2. In a pan, heat the oil and add the rest of the ingredients and saute till the toor dal and methi seeds turn a slight red color.
  3. Now add the tamarind extract and salt. Let the mixture boil till the raw smell of tamarind vanishes.
  4. Now add enough water to dilute the strong tamarind taste and allow it to boil for a few minutes.
  5. If you want the pulusu to be thick in consistency then add a spoon of flour to it and let the whole mixture come to a boil.

Note:

  • When adding the flour, take the flour in a small cup, add water to it and mix well to get rid of the lumps and then add it to the Pulusu. Any kind of flour can be used: Rice/Wheat/Maida/Corn flour
  • You can also add Bhendakaya/Bhendi instead of kachikaya or plainly skip both. The main taste of the pulusu is due to the Menthulu and these are extra add-ons.
  • I have used Kachikaya in this recipe but any kind of vathal (dried vegetables) like Sundakai etc can also be used. I am not sure if everyone is aware of this ingredient(kachikaya) . Its the dried form of a fruit. The fruits look like tiny versions of tomatoes. They are called Manathakkali vathal in Tamil. My mother used to fry these in a little bit of ghee and mix it with plain rice for us when we had complains of mouth ulcer or stomach aches. Will try posting more on this ingredient soon.
by

7 thoughts:

Anonymous said...

thanks for this menu... it tastes good.

Priya
Thanks Anon

Unknown said...

Hi Dear! Thanks for dropping over-there are quite a few Priya's around so it's alittle confusing :)
I shall be around to check out more, and i invite to participate in my breakfast blogging event-you have over 10 days to send me your entry-details on my blog
Hope you hear from you soon
Cheers
N

Priya
:D ..do keep coming and I'm definitely going to participate in the event, I have the whole long weekend coming up here to experiment :-)

Vineela said...

Hi Priya,
Menthula pulusu looks yummy.I do make this and good with hot rice.
Thanks for sharing.
Vineela

Vineela said...

HI,
chef priya icon looks cool.
Vineela

Priya
I'm getting things ready for my mom, thought it wud be nice to have our own signatures :-)
Try the pulusu with the oorupindi sometime, u'll like it.

Vaishali said...

Priya,
I am looking forward to more info on Kachikaya. Never heard of it or seen it before.

Dilip said...

hey...mindhya kozhambu as it is known is Tamil Nadu is indeed my favorite kozhambu......the zingy, karam and pulipu taste is really great. I make it too at times....actually u can put "parupu urundai" in it as well. That is a variation in methulu pulusu....

Anonymous said...

I have pre-made Sambar powder - and am trying to find a recipe for Sambar that can use the Sambar powder. I never get the right taste when I make it- I htink I need exact proportions. Any help? By the way, great blog! Thanks!

Sudhir

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