Gongura Rice | Gongura Pulihora | Red Sorrel Leaves Rice | Pulicha Keerai Sadam

Gongura Rice | Gongura Pulihora | Red Sorrel Leaves Rice | Pulicha Keerai Sadam is a specialty from Andhra Cuisine. Pulicha keerai in Tamil is  known as Red sorrel leaves in English & Gongura in Telugu. Yesterday when I went to Pazhamudircholai, the greens were not fresh except this gongura. I heard that these leaves are rich in iron. It is not commonly available in Southern Tamil Nadu, but in Chennai, these greens are available in plenty and fresh. We can make gongura thokku, gongura pickle, etc. Today I made gongura  rice using these leaves.

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice – 2 cups
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt to taste

To roast & Grind:

• Gingelly oil -1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
• Red chillies – 6  Nos.
• Shallots – 5 Nos.
• Gongura | Red sorrel leaves – 2 cups

For seasoning:

• Gingelly oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard – 1 tsp
• Bengal gram | Kadalai Paruppu – 1 tbsp
• Red chillies – 2 Nos.
• Curry leaves – few
• Asafoetida | Hing – ¼ tsp
• Roasted ground nut – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Cook rice until soft and spread in a wide bowl  and allow to cool with little oil sprinkled over.
2. Pluck the gongura leaves alone, wash them thoroughly  in water, drain  and keep aside.
3. In a kadai, add a tbsp of oil and roast fenugreek seeds & red chillies. Drain from oil and transfer into a plate.
4. In the same kadai,, add shallots and fry till they become brownish in colour. To this add gongura leaves and sauté till the leaves get wilted and the raw smell leaves out. The leaves colour gets changed from green  to brown. Allow it to cool.
5. Grind  roasted fenugreek seeds and red chillies along with salt to a coarse powder. To this add the shallots and gongura and grind to a fine paste by adding little water, if needed.
6. In a non stick pan, heat oil and season with the items given for seasoning. Then add turmeric powder and gogura paste. Sauté  till oil oozes out from the paste & switch off.  It will take hardly 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add  the required quantity of gongura paste to the cooked, cooled rice and gently mix the rice using a  spatula without breaking/mashing the rice.  Check for the salt, if required, add straight to the rice and mix well.

Yummy Gongura Pulihora is ready to serve. This rice can be prepared with leftover rice also. This can be enjoyed with any thogayal, pappad/vadam or raita or fry.

Note:

• The tanginess  of these leaves would be mild, so if you want more tangy, you can add either lemon juice or tamarind.
• The paste can be refrigerated and used for 15 days.

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