Anapakaya Pulusu
Ingrediants:
1 medium size sorakya, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
1 medium onion, cut lengthwise
4-5 Indian green chilis, cut lengthwise
1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (optional)
1 lime size tamarind soaked in water and juice extracted
1/2 tsp turmeric/haldi/pasupu powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 pinch hing/asafatida powder
- 3 tbsp of besan/chickpea flour/shanaga pindi
- salt, to taste
- chili powder, to taste
- 1 tsp jeera/jeelakarra/cumin seeds
- 1 tsp rai/aavalu/black mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp oil
- chopped coriander, handful
Method:
- Put the pressure cooker on medium heat, add the oil. Add the mustard and jeera seeds until they splutter.
- Add the green chilis, onions and curry leaves. Add the chopped ginger and garlic and the hing or asafatida powder
- Cook until onions are translucent, add the sorakaya/bottle gourd pieces.
- Cook for additional 2-3 minutes or so. Add the turmeric powder.
- Fill the pressure cooker with water, just so all the sorakaya pieces are immersed in the water.
- Cook until 2 whistles.
- While the pressure subsides, take the besan flour in a small dish, pour water little by little to make a smooth, lump free paste out of it.
- After the pressure dies down, open the cooker, add the tamarind juice. Mix well and add more water if needed. This should be of rasam consistency.
- Add the coriander/dhaniya powder, chili powder (if needed), salt.
- Finally add the besan flour that was mixed with water above and stir.
- Cook until the dappalam boils and is foamy on top. The dappalam thickens because of the addition of the besan flour.
- Turn off the heat, add the cilantro leaves.
- Serve hot with rice.