Miriyala Pulihora | Pepper Pulihora | How to Make Miriyala Pulihora

The Pepper Pulihora is made without adding any green or red Chillies. Peppercorns, Zeera And Methi seeds are roasted to a rich brown color and pounded into a powder. This mixture is cooked in Tamarind juice to a thick soupy consistency. Then it is given a richly aromatic seasoning and mixed with cooked rice. This Pulihora is invariably served as Prasadam (Offering) in any temple of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka especially during winter months.

This strongly flavored Pulihora is smooth on the tongue and spicy as it goes down the throat. Pepper has the medicinal quality of removing the phlegm. That is why the Miriyaala Pulihora is served as Prasadam in temples during winters..

Before the Dutch came to India and introduced the Chilli to Indians, the only hot spices we knew were Sonth (Dry Ginger), Pepper, and long Pepper (Pippallu)!!! Since we called our hot spice Miriyalu (Pepper), we started to call this newly introduced hot spicy fruit, Chilli, as “Mirapa Kaya”!!!

Apart from local Temples, Green Chilli is not used in the major Temples of Holy Pilgrimage spots. Only Peppercorns or Sonth is used for spice in these places. For example, in the Temples at Tirupati or the Puri Jagannath Temple, Green Chilli is not used, nor is any vegetable which has been imported from any foreign country, as offering to the deity.. .

Nowadays we are using Green Chilli or dried red Chilli for seasoning eth Pulihora. But earlier, Pulihora was made with Peppercorns and everyone preferred to eat that way.

you may also like this recipe Tamarind Rice

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Tips

Rice:

• The Rice should be cooked to a dry consistency. It is always better not to soak the rice for this very end. Wash the rice and cook it in a Pressure Cooker with water measuring two parts to one measure of rice. It should be cooked on high flame for the duration it takes for three whistles, and take off the flame immediately after. The steam should be let out by holding up the weight, lest the rice becomes too soft. As soon as the steam subsides, spread the rice out to dry on a wide flat plate which has been smeared with oil.

• If the rice is being cooked in an ordinary pan, the rice must not be soaked. We must take two measures of water to one measure of rice. As soon as the rice is cooked it must be drained and laid out on a wide flat plate which has been smeared with oil. Let the rice dry out in the air.

• Normally I add Turmeric to the rice when it is being boiled to ensure that the Turmeric covers the rice uniformly.

Seasoning:

• Gingelly (Til) Oil or Groundnut Oil are better for Pulihora than any other refined Oil.

• Seasoning is like the Lifeline for Pulihoras. So do get the right ingredients; and give the right amount of frying till the seasoning items are brown and crispy and the rich aroma comes out fully. Be careful, though, that the seasoning does not get burnt.

• Curry Leaves and Asafoetida are essential items for the seasoning of Pulihora.

Tamarind Juice:

• Cook the Tamarind juice to a thick consistency, stirring all the time, to avoid burning at the bottom of the pot.

• Pulihora can be preserved well if the Tamarind Juice is cooked to a thick consistency. If the juice is not thick, it will give out moisture and the Pulihora will go bad soon.

• A little Jaggery added to the Pulusu helps to balance the tastes very well. Jaggery can be avoided if it is not to our liking.

Lastly:

• After the Pulusu has been mixed with the Rice, the dish has to be allowed to rest at least for half an hour. The Rice will absorb the flavors of the Pulusu and will taste infinitely richer.

Miriyala Pulihora | Pepper Pulihora | How to Make Miriyala Pulihora - Recipe Video

Miriyala Pulihora | Pepper Pulihora | How to Make Miriyala Pulihora

Flavored Rice | vegetarian
  • Prep Time 1 min
  • Soaking Time 30 mins
  • Cook Time 25 mins
  • Resting Time 30 mins
  • Total Time 1 hr 26 mins
  • Serves 8

Ingredients

  • For Cooking the Rice:
  • 2 Cups Rice (Washed)
  • 4 Cups Water
  • Salt
  • 1 tbsp Turmeric(Haldi)
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • For Soaking the Tamarind:
  • 50 gms Tamarind
  • 300 ml Water
  • For the Pulihora Powder:
  • 2 tbsp Pepper Corns
  • 1/2 tbsp Methi (Fenugreek) seeds
  • 1 tbsp Dhaniya (Coriander) Seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp Zeera (Cumin)
  • 1 1/4 tbsp Nalla Nuvvulu (Black Sesame)
  • For Pulihora Paste:
  • 85 ml Oil
  • 1 tbsp Rai (Mustard)
  • 1 1/4 tbsp Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
  • 1 1/4 tbsp Urad Dal (Black Gram)
  • 60 gm Moong Phali (Peanuts)
  • 3 Sprigs Curry Leaves
  • 1/2 tbsp Asafoetida
  • 2-3 tbsp Jaggery

Instructions

  1. Soak the Tamarind for 30 minutes. Deseed it and take out the juice. Keep a side.
  2. Wash the Rice well. Place it in the Pressure Cooker with water, Salt, Turmeric, and oil. Let the Cooker give three whistles.
  3. As soon as three whistles are heard, take the Cooker off the flame. As soon as the steam subsides, spread the rice out on a plate which has been smeared with oil. Let the Rice dry out (Read the tips above to understand how to get rice dry and firm).
  4. Roast all the ingredients (Except Black sesame) one by one nicely until a rich aroma wafts from it. Add the Sesame the very last and let the seeds crackle. Make a fine powder of all these ingredients.
  5. Heat the oil for seasoning. Put in Mustard seeds, Chana Dal, Urad Dal, and Peanuts. Fry till the Dals roast to a rich brown and the peanuts should split and crackle.
  6. When the seasoning is of a rich brown color, add the curry leaves and the Asafoetida.
  7. When the seasoning is ready, add the Tamarind Juice and the Jaggery. Let the mixture come to two boils. Add the Pulihora Peppercorn powder and let the mixture thicken. Keep stirring to avoid the paste sticking to the bottom.
  8. It took me twenty minutes and constant stirring, to get the Pulusu to a right thick consistency, and for the oil to float on top.
  9. Put the stove off and mix the thickened Pulusu into the rice. After the rice is well mixed, leave it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

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