Chinthapandu Pulihora / Andhra Tamarind Rice

Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:10 mins  CookTime:15 mins   Cuisine:Indian

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Table of Contents⇓    RecipeCard⇓

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Chinthapandu Pulihora / Andhra Tamarind rice, here comes the most popular, South Indian Andhra’s famous rice recipe. It very proudly appears in every South Indian menu. 🙂 So let’s look into it!

Table of Contents:

Click to Expand / Collapse

1. What is Pulihora:
2. Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Andhra Chinthapandu Pulihora / Tamarind Rice’:
3. Health Benefits of ‘Chinthapandu Pulihora / Easy Tamarind Rice’:
4. Other recipes from my blog:
5. Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Chinthapandu Pulihora / Andhra Tamarind Rice’:
6. Prep Work:
7. Cooking:
8. Tips & Storage:
9. Result:
10. Recipe Card & Print:

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What is Pulihora:

‘Pulihora’ / Yellow Rice is considered as the food form of Goddesses divine blessings in South Indian temples. Hence, devotees queue to get Pulihora after darshanam in any South Indian temple.

And in any South Indian household, Pulihora is definitely prepared during Hindu festivals and functions as an offering to the Goddess.

There are many varieties of ‘Pulihora’, while this is the predominant of all. This particular recipe is that of Andhra Pradesh, a Southern state of India.

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Andhra Chinthapandu Pulihora / Tamarind Rice’:

I adapted this recipe from my MIL, whereas my MOM makes it in a different way.

Mom’s recipe, doesn’t put the tamarind puree on stove top to thicken. But, instead she just adds the thick tamarind puree onto the hot plain rice.

Does the tempering, and when the rice cools a bit, she would mix everything thoroughly using her bare hands. 

MIL’s Recipe: Below given recipe is adapted from my MIL’s recipe, you might follow any of the methods. 🙂 

It is a NO onion, NO garlic recipe too. But it does has more usage of oil. 

It can be made with freshly cooked rice (or) with left over rice too. But, just see to it that the rice doesn’t have much moisture, if so the total dish would turn into a lump.

Health Benefits of ‘Chinthapandu Pulihora / Easy Tamarind Rice’:

Tamarind is high in anti inflammatory & anti oxidant properties, that protects against cancer. The tamarind puree helps in reducing body weight.

Turmeric has naturally anti inflammatory properties. Limited intake of turmeric, when taken everyday in food, boosts the immunity and hence lowers the risk of cold, cough, flu, other infections.

To conclude, this is a completely, Plant based, Vegan + Gluten free, IMMUNITY BOOSTING, one-pot family friendly meal.

Other recipes from my blog:

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.

Rice recipes collection⇒  Main Course

Festive recipes collection⇒  Traditional Indian Recipes for Festivals / Panduga Nayivedyalu

Indian Festive Meal Platters collection⇒  Vindhu Bhojanam / Festive Lunch

Instant pot recipes collection⇒  Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes / Instant Pot Recipes 

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Ingredients:

• Rice (cooked) – With 3 cups of rice grains
• Salt – 4 teaspoons (or) as per taste
• Cooking Oil – ½ cup
• Dry Tamarind – 1 large lemon size
• Hing/Inguva/Asafoetida – ½ teaspoon
• Dry Red Chillies – 5
• Green Chillies – 5
• Curry Leaves – 10
• Ground Nuts – 10 
• Cashew Nuts – 10

Ingredients for Tempering:

• Urad dal / Minapappu / Split Black gram – 1½ teaspoon
• Mustard seeds / Aavalu – 1 teaspoon
• Chana dal / Split Yellow gram dal – 1½ teaspoon
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon
• Sesame Seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – ¾ teaspoon

Special Ingredients:

• Tamarind
• Hing/ Inguva/ Asafoetida
• Cashew Nuts & Ground Nuts

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Chinthapandu Pulihora / Andhra Tamarind Rice’:

Prep Work:

Firstly, get the rice cooked and keep it ready in a wide mixing vessel/dish.

Cut the green chillies length wise.

If you are using dry tamarind , soak it in hot water for 10 mins, so that it would soften.

Cooking:

Put a frying pan on stove top under medium flame. Add half of the oil, let it heat.

Then add all the items under ‘Ingredients for Tempering’.

Sauté the tempering items and then add the salt, cashew nuts, slit green chillies, dry red chillies, curry leaves and hing / inguva / Asafoetida.

Let them stay on stove until the red chillies darken in colour, then transfer all the contents onto the rice. 

Put the pan back on the stove, take the bowl of hot water and tamarind, tightly squeeze a couple of times.

And add the puree along with water into the frying pan. Exclude the pulp.

Let the water content evaporate and the tamarind puree to thicken.

At that stage switch off the stove and transfer the tamarind puree onto the rice in the vessel/dish.

Return the frying pan back to the stove and add the rest of the oil. Heat the oil and pour it onto the cooked rice.

Mix everything thoroughly more than twice (using bare hands works best).

So that the tamarind pulp and tempering are all blended well with the rice. Done!!

Tips & Storage:

• You can use any type of non-flavoured rice for this recipe ,i.e. flavoured rice like Basmati is not much suitable. I used Sona Masoori rice.
• Take care that the cooked rice is NOT sticky.
• The heart of this recipe lies in the tempering. So be careful, not to burn it.
• If you are using ready made tamarind puree, add the same quantity as mentioned and heat up the puree too.
• Adjust the salt and sour according to your taste.
• Using bare hands instead of a ladle, creates the perfect blend / flavour of all the spices & rice.
• Storage: Actual saying about this dish is that, it tastes even better the next day than the same day.
• Chinthapandu pulihora / Tamarind rice, can be made with freshly cooked rice or with left over rice too.
• It stays good even for 3 days at room temperature.

Result:

• The taste of this dish is amazingly delicious. Even my three kids just love it.
• Chinthapandu pulihora / Tamarind rice, can be served with chilled curd/yogurt and with any chutney/dip on the side. Or can be eaten as it is.

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