- Submitted by Dahlia
(Fresh Gongura Pickle, Pulicha Keerai Thokku)
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Gongura Pachadi is a popular Andhra dish made with gongura, also known as sorrel leaves or pulicha keerai in Tamil. Gongura Pachadi is also known as Pulicha Keerai Thokku, is a South Indian delicacy which is a burst of flavours in your mouth. This dish is a perfect blend of tartness and spiciness. This dish is a favourite in all homes, especially in North Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Gongura Pachadi or Pulicha Keerai Thokku goes very well with hot steamed rice but it also goes well with chapatis. These days you find gongura pachadi readily available in most pickle brands. However, the taste of the preserved one is no where close to the fresh one made at home. If you haven’t tried this amazing recipe yet, do try it out.
Recipe for Gongura Pachadi
Ingredients
- Gongura leaves (Pulicha Keerai) – 1 bunch (about 3-4 cups)
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Green chillies – 6 (adjust according to spice preference)
- Garlic cloves - 10
- Small Onions – 10 (or 1 big onion)
- Tomato – 2
- Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Dry red chillies - 8
- Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - to taste
For Tempering
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Urad Dal – 1 tsp
- Small Onions – 3-4 (chopped)
- Garlic cloves – 2-3 (crushed)
- Curry leaves - a few
Method
- Wash the gongura leaves thoroughly and let them dry.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the dry red chilies, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and roast for a minute.
- Carefully remove it in a plate and let it cool.
- Add another tbsp of oil in the same pan. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, green chillies, small onions and garlic cloves. Saute till it turns slightly golden.
- Add roughly chopped tomatoes to this. Saute till it tuns soft.
- Add the gongura leaves, and cook for few minutes until the leaves wilts and become soft.
- Cook for about 5-7 minutes. The leaves becomes soft, jelly-ish and totally wilted. Switch off and let the mixture cool down.
- First coarsely powder the dry ingredients (dry red chilies, cumin and fenugreek) in a mixie jar. Remove it in a plate.
- Take the sauteed gongura mix and required salt in the same mixie jar and pulse it to crush it coarsely.
- Remove the crushed gongura in a serving bowl. Mix the powdered dry ingredients with this. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Now lets make the seasoning, Heat oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
- Add urad dal, chopped onions, crushed garlic cloves and curry leaves. Fry it for a minute or two till it turns golden brown. Pour this aromatic tempering over the ground gongura pachadi.
Serving Suggestion
- Serve the Gongura Pachadi with piping hot rice or chapathi.
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