-Submitted by Dahlia on 18th May 2009
(Kalaan, Kerala Moru Curry, Buttermilk Curry)
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Pulissery is a signature Kerala curry made with curd. It is served as the last curry of the Onam Sadhya before serving the pradhaman (desert). Some of its close relatives from other states include Mor Curry from Tamil nadu and Kadhi from Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Pulissery is made with different vegetables. The vegetable is first cooked with salt and turmeric powder. A ground paste of coconut, cumin seeds, garlic and green chilly is added. Later beaten curd is added and cooked on low flame for few minutes. Finally a seasoning is done with the aromatic coconut oil.
Some of the traditional Pulisseries include:
Other Pulisseries made these days include:
- Yellow Squash Pulisssery
- Zucchini Pulissery
- Butternut Squash Pulissery
- Bottlegourd (Dadiyanga/Curakkai) Pulissery
- Raw Papaya Pulissery
- Pacha Maanga Pulissery
- Watermelon Pulissery
Here I have shared the recipe to make velarikka pulissery made with golden cucumber. You can take this general recipe and substitute with any vegetable of your choice or the one you have on hand. Pulissery can be made plain without any vegetables too.
Recipe For Pulissery
Ingredients
- Buttermilk - 3 cups
- Vellarikka (Golden Cucumber ) - 1 cup (about 200 grams chopped)
- Turmeric Powder - a pinch
- Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - as needed
To Grind
- Coconut - 3/4 cup
- Garlic - 3-4
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Green Chilies - 1 or 2
For Tempering
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Shallot onions - 4-5 (chopped)
- Dry red chilies - 1 or 2
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
- Curry Leaves - 1 strand
- Oil - 3 tbsp
Method
- Grind together all the ingredients under 'to grind' to a coarse paste.
- Take the chopped vegetables in a pan with turmeric powder, salt, pepper powder and little water. Cook it for about 5-10 minutes till the veggies are soft. (If you do not want any vegetables, skip this step.)
- Once the water almost evaporates, add the ground paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Now add the buttermilk and required salt. Keep stirring continuously for the next 5 minutes till the curry gets warmed up. Do not let it come to a boil. Switch off.
- Heat oil in another small kadai and splutter the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies and curry leaves.
- Add the chopped shallots to this and fry till it turns dark brown and crispy.
- Add this seasoning to the curry. Mix and serve.
Serving Suggestion
- Pulissery is traditionally served with Kerala matta rice, thoran, mezhukuvarati and papadam.
Rice with Paruppu Curry, Vellarika Pulissery, Potato Fry, Aviyal and Onion Papad Thoran
Rice with Vellarika Pulissery, Potato Fry and Beans Carrot Poriyal
Other Curd (Yogurt) based Vegetarian Gravies