Mukkala Pulusu

A spicy and tangy stew of mixed winter vegetables
Ingredients - Makes approximately 1 litre
  • 1 large (or 300 g) onion, cut into chunks
  • 2 medium sized (or 300 g) carrots, cut into large cubes
  • ½ cup bottle gourd or calabash, peeled and cut into large cubes, optional
  • ½ cup pumpkin, cut into large cubes
  • 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise (adjust based on your spice/heat tolerance)
  • 40 g tamarind
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1½-2 tsp jaggery or sugar (white or brown)
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 5½ cups water
  • Salt, to taste
  • fresh coriander, chopped, optional
  • For the tempering
  • ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tsp split chickpeas or chana dal
  • 2 tsp black gram or urad dal
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 4-5 dried red chillies
  • 6-8 curry leaves, optional
  • a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 tbsp oil
Steps
  1. Heat 1 cup of the water in a small bowl and soak the tamarind for 15-20 minutes. Or, you can place the bowl in the {microwave} on high for 30 seconds. Cool and squeeze out the tamarind juice with your fingers. Strain and set aside the juice
  2. In a large pot, heat the oil and saute all the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Mix in the tamarind juice and jaggery, add the green chillies, cover and let the mixture simmer until the vegetables are completely cooked
  3. Mix the rice flour into the remaining ½ cup of water and ensuring there are no lumps, mix into the stew. Adjust salt, add fresh coriander and let simmer for 5 minutes
  4. In a separate pan, get the tempering ready. Heat the oil and fry the fenugreek seeds, split chickpeas (chana dal) and black gram (urad dal) until they start to brown. Add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and fry until the mustard seeds splutter
  5. Turn off the heat, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Mix the tempering into the pulusu and serve hot with rice
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