Pulinkari - Kerala style simple Pulinkari - Thenga aracha kuzhambu

Pulinkari, as the name implies, is a tasty and tangy curry for rice, made using Puli or tamarind with vegetables and coconut. There are a few variations of this curry.  

Today, as eating patterns change, these traditional vegetarian recipes are gradually disappearing from Palakkad Iyer's kitchen. Some of the vegetarian recipes are in need of revival.

Here I have narrated Drumstick pulinkari.

Ingredients :

Drumstick - 2 nos, cut into sizeable pcs

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Tamarind or puli - 1 big gooseberry size

(Soak tamarind in 1/2 a cup of water.)

Fenugreek 0r Vendhayam - 1/4 tsp

Red chilis - 3 small nos

Freshly grated Coconut - 1 cup

Mustard seeds

Coconut oil

Curry leaves

Preparation:

Cook drumstick with 1 cup of water along with turmeric powder, and salt. 

In a bowl, extract tamarind juice by adding 1/2 a cup of water.

Now add tamarind juice to the drumstick and let it boil for a few minutes until the raw smell of tamarind goes off.

In the meantime, in a skillet, add coconut oil, fry 2 red chilies and fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds should not be burnt. If so, it will spoil the taste. 

Grind roasted fenugreek, red chilis, and freshly grated coconut with a little water in a mixie to a fine paste.

Then add this ground paste and stir well. Do not allow to boil.

Add curry leaves.

This curry is little thicker in consistency, as we have added fenugreek seeds.

Below are some of the Vegetables that can be used for this pulinkari.

1. Chembu or Colocasia or Seppankilangu
2. Chena or Yam or chenai kilangu
3. Vendakka or Ladies finger or Vendaikkai
4. Mathanga or Pumpkin (yellow) or Parangikkai
5. Achinga Payaru or String beans or and Carrot
6. Potatoes

Try this and enjoy with rice.

If we roast coconut, then it becomes varuthu aracha pulinkari. I shall share this recipe too.