Discover how to make this delicious and aromatic curry leaves rice, a popular Andhra/Telangana dish known as karivepaku pulihora in Telugu. Follow this recipe with step-by-step instructions and detailed pictures.
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What is pulihora
While pulihora is commonly associated with tamarind rice, the term originates from the Telugu words puli (sour) and hora (rice). Variants include tamarind rice (chintapandu pulihora), lemon rice (nimmakaya pulihora), raw mango rice (mammidikaya pulihora), and sorrel rice (gongura pulihora). In Tamil and Kannada, tangy tamarind rice is called puliodarai or puliogare.
In Telugu cuisine, pulihora is a staple during festivals and is an essential component of festive thalis. I’ve previously shared Tamil Nadu-style puliodarai recipes, including the traditional Kovil puliodarai and an instant version. Today’s recipe highlights Andhra/Telangana-style karivepaku pulihora, inspired by Valli’s Andhra thali spread, with slight modifications to suit my family’s taste preferences.
Make it a part of your meal prep
This simple yet exotic dish is perfect for lunchboxes and stays fresh when prepared in advance. Like pulikaichal gojju, the curry leaves mix can be made ahead, stored, and quickly combined with rice for a comforting meal. Make it part of your meal prep; this paste will surely be useful for those busy weekdays.
Ingredients required
Rice & water – I used one cup of sona masoori, the short-grain rice variety, for this recipe. You can use rice or grain of your choice. Cook them in your convenient way and fluff them gently. We do want mushy rice for this pulihora.
To roast and grind: We need one cup of curry leaves and 1 tsp of whole peppercorns. The combination of curry leaves and peppercorns is a match made in heaven, and that’s what we are using here, too.
Tamarind paste: The souring agent we use is tamarind; you can use tamarind paste or tamarind pulp.
To temper – we need oil, preferably gingelly oil mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, and dried red chilies.
Apart from these ingredients, we need salt, turmeric powder, and additional water. Please check the recipe card for exact measurements.
Dietary specifications & storage suggestions
This vegan, gluten-free rice dish is a versatile addition to your meal repertoire. Refrigerate the pulihora paste for convenience, and use it with rice, yogurt rice, idli, or dosa for a quick, flavorful meal.
How to make karivepaku pulihora
Prep Work:
- Cook the rice with 2 cups of water, fluff gently, and let it cool.
- Wash and dry curry leaves thoroughly. You can air-dry or sun-dry them for crispness.
- If using tamarind pulp, soak and extract about 1 cup of juice.
Steps for the curry leaves mix:
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add curry leaves and peppercorns, and dry roast until crisp.
- Cool the mixture and grind it into a fine powder.
Steps for the pulihora mix:
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the peanuts first and roast until it’s golden.
- Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, and asafoetida. Sauté until they splutter.
- Stir in turmeric powder and tamarind extract. Add salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Mix in the curry leaves powder and continue boiling until the mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool. Store the mix in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Final Assembly:
- Add enough curry leaves paste to the cooked rice and mix well.
- Adjust salt and add gingelly oil as needed.
- Serve with fryums or papad, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- You can add up to 2 tsps of peppercorns for a spicier version.
- Jaggery is optional.
- You wash and dry the curry leaves well ahead, and make sure to roast them until they are crisp.
- Adjust salt and spice as per your preference.
- I used roasted fenugreek powder towards the end. If you don’t have roasted fenugreek powder, add ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds while tempering.
Explore other South Indian variety rice recipes
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📖 Recipe
Karivepaku Pulihora | Curry Leaves Tamarind Rice
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp=15ml; 1tsp=5ml;
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw Sona Masoori rice
- 2 cups water
For the Curry Leaves Mix:
- 1 cup loosely packed curry leaves
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
Other Ingredients:
- 1.5 tbsp tamarind paste diluted in 1 cup of water or juice extracted from a lemon-sized tamarind
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp asafoetida use gluten-free for a GF version
- 1 small piece of jaggery optional
- ¼ tsp roasted fenugreek powder or substitute with whole fenugreek seeds during tempering
For Tempering:
- 2 tbsp gingelly oil plus 1 tsp for roasting
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 2 –3 tbsp peanuts omit for a nut-free version
- 4 dried red chilies broken
Instructions
Prep Work:
- Cook the rice with 2 cups of water, fluff gently, and let it cool.
- Wash and dry curry leaves thoroughly. You can air-dry or sun-dry them for crispness.
- If using tamarind pulp, soak and extract about 1 cup of juice.
Steps for the Curry Leaves Mix:
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add curry leaves and peppercorns, and dry roast until crisp.
- Cool the mixture and grind it into a fine powder.
Steps for the Pulihora Mix:
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the peanuts first and roast until it's golden.
- Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, and asafoetida. Sauté until they splutter.
- Stir in turmeric powder and tamarind extract. Add salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Mix in the curry leaves powder and continue boiling until the mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool. Store the mix in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Final Assembly:
- Add enough curry leaves paste to the cooked rice and mix well.
- Adjust salt and add gingelly oil as needed.
- Serve with fryums or papad, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can add up to 2 tsps of peppercorns for a spicier version.
- Jaggery is optional.
- You wash and dry the curry leaves well ahead, and make sure to roast them until they are crisp.
- Adjust salt and spice as per your preference.
- I used roasted fenugreek powder towards the end. If you don’t have roasted fenugreek powder, add ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds while tempering.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update Notes: Earlier posted on 2017, now updated with new pictures and recipe card.
Interesting pulihora recipe, so new to me.would love to try sometimes.Quick,healthy & delicious pulihora.
Please do try Sandhiya. You will love it. Thanks
My fav lunch box dish.. Awesome anytime!!
Yup.. :-) Thanks
I always have extra curry leaves whenever I buy them that end up going in the garbage – I need to use them up with this delicious recipe the next time!
Please do try Chef.. thanks
Curry leaf pulihora looks yummy. I haven’t tried till now.. This tempted me to try it soon,
Thanks Sarita.
My friend make this. super quick tamarind rice.. ur pics r so ttmepting
Thanks Vidya.