Pulikuthi Poduthul

Pulikuthi poduthul is a specialty of Palakkad Iyer’s, usually served with tomato rasam. Its a combination of vegetables like sundakkai (turkey berry), potato, brinjal, raw banana, chembu (colocasia/arbi), chembu leaves, pumpkin (mathan), ladies finger (okra/vendakka) and raw rice, urad dal, red chillies, fenugreek and tamarind.

Ingredients:

Sundakkai – 20
Potato – 1 big
Ladies finger/Vendakka – 8 to 10
Raw banana – 1
Brinjal – 4
Pumpkin – 100 gms
Tamarind – 1 lemon size ball
Red chilly powder – 1 ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil

To roast & powder:
Raw rice – 1/4 cup
Urad dal – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 5 to 6

Preparation:

1. Soak the tamarind in water and extract the pulp.

2. Crush the sundakkai lightly and keep aside. Wash the vegetables and cut them lengthwise into 1 inch long pieces.

3. In a pan, heat little oil. Add the raw rice and fry till its brown. Then add the urad dal and fenugreek seeds and roast till dal turns golden. Add red chillies and fry for 2 minutes. Cool and powder.

Method:

1. Boil the vegetables (except vendakka and brinjal) separately in little tamarind water along with little salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp red chilly powder till its 3/4th cooked.

Note: You can boil the vegetables together (except vendakka and brinjal) by first adding chundakka and after 2 minutes add the potato and raw banana. When they are half way done, add the pumpkin.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Fry vendakka and brinjal for 2-3 minutes. Then add little tamarind water, salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/4 tsp red chilly powder and fry till its cooked. Keep aside.

3. In the same pan, fry the sundakkai, then add potato and raw banana. Fry till the vegetables are lightly roasted. Then add pumpkin and fry till its lightly roasted.

4. Now add the fried vendakka and brinjal and mix the vegetables together. Add the powder and mix well. Stir fry for another 2 minutes.

Serve with rice and rasam.