Gongura Pulihora | Gongura Rice | Red Sorrel Leaves Rice

Gongura(Red Sorrel leaves) is very famous in Andhra Pradesh especially for its various varieties like Gongura Pacchadi(Gongura chutney),Niluva Gongura Pacchadi(Gongura pickle) and Gongura pappu(Gongura Dal), Rice and also some fusion side dishes to pair with rice or rotis.Whenever I find these greens I never miss a chance to prepare Gongura Pacchadi as it is my DH's favorite.I have not posted any of these famous varieties although I make them quite often. I had earlier posted a recipe of Gongura Pulusu Kura which is a stewed version of Gongura and chana dal which is quite tangy and goes well with rice and Noone Gongura,which is a tempered version of Gongura and can be stored for up to two weeks .

Gongura Pulihora is slightly a modified version of  Chintapandu Pulihora and is a treat to those Gongura lovers.We get two varieties of Gongura - Red Sorrel leaves (Erra Gongura) and White Sorrel leaves (Tella Gongura which is actually green in color) where the red variety is tangier than the other one. Gongura imparts a nice tart taste to pulihora and makes it taste little different from the regular Chintapandu Pulihora. Try this Gongura Pulihora next time you find these greens, I am sure you will love it.

Also check out other Pulihora Recipes in my blog:

• Aava Pettina Pulihora
• Cranberry Rice | Cranberry Puliyohora
• Chintapandu Pulihora - Andhra style
• Dabbakaya(Indian Grape fruit/Herelikayi) Pulihora
• Lemon Rice | Chitranna | Nimmakaya Pulihora
• Maamidikaya Pulihora
• Puliyogre - Karnataka style
• Sabsige Soppu(Dill leaves) Chitranna
• Usirikaya Pulihora | Gooseberry(Amla) Rice 

Gongura Pulihora | Red Sorrel Leaves Rice:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:40 mins | Total time: 50 mins
Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Lunch-Rice Varieties

Ingredients:
1 cup Sona Masuri rice or equivalent
1 large bunch Red Sorrel leaves/Gongura
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Sesame Oil

1 tbsp Oil

to roast and grind:

1 tbsp Sesame seeds

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds

3 Red chillies

to temper:

2 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tbsp Urad dal

1 tbsp Chana dal

1/4 cup Groundnuts
3-4 light colored long Green chillies,slit

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 Red chillies
a sprig of Curry leaves

a pinch of strong Asafoetida

Method:

to prepare Gongura Rice:

• Dry roast fenugreek seeds,mustard seeds,red chillies and sesame seeds separately until they are well roasted and remove it and let it cool.

• Remove the leaves from the stems carefully and wash them properly for 3-4 times.Drain them in the colander until all the water drains away.
• In the same pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add stemmed and sorrel leaves and fry until they wilt and become slightly mushy,cool the mixture.Add tamarind pulp at the end.

• Grind the roasted seeds to a fine powder and add sauteed sorrel leaves and grind to a smooth paste.
• Wash and soak rice for 10-15 mins and cook it in rice cooker or pressure cooker with 2 cups of water until it is done. Let the rice sit for some time and spread it on a wide plate by smearing a tbsp. of sesame oil which helps in keeping the grains separate.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep bottomed kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds. 

• Add ground nuts and fry them until they turn slight red in color and the skin begins to split.

• Add chana dal, urad dal, red chillies and slit green chillies and fry until the chillies wilt and the dals turn light golden brown in color.Add curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder and fry half a minute.Add ground gongura mixture and let it cook until it thickens and the oil separates from the edges. It takes 7-8 mins. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.

• Reserve some portion(2-3 tbsp) of the gongura mixture we prepared now and add cooled and spread rice along with salt and mix it nicely until everything is neatly incorporated. Now taste the rice and add more gongura mixture or salt as needed and adjust the rice according to your taste buds. Prepare it slightly sour so that it tastes delicious once it is rested for some time. Rest it for an hour at least.

Serve it as a variety rice in your meal or as a meal by itself with Curd Rice/Daddojanam.

Notes:

1. Use rice varieties like sona masuri, ponni, jeeraga samba for these kind of rice varieties, I do not suggest basmati rice.
2. Red Sorrel leaves are slightly tangy hence I added just little bit of tamarind,if you are using green sorrel leaves variety add more tamarind to it.Always make the rice bit tangy so that it will taste nice once it settles down.
3. You can add roasted and peeled groundnuts at the end to keep them crunchy,but I prefer to add it while frying as I like the taste of groundnuts cooked in tart gongura mixture.
4. This rice is ideal to pack for travel as well as for lunch box.
   
   

   

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