Recipe for spicy, tangy Pulicha Keerai Thokku. Gongura Thokku Recipe. Recipe with step by step pictures.
This recipe is from my neighbor Vidya. We had shared some Sorrel leaves that we harvested in the farm and in return we got this wonderful thokku. It was so tasty that I pestered her for the recipe. She was really sweet to share the recipe immediately. This dish goes really well with rice. Here is how to do it.
Clean the Sorrel Leaves and get rid off the stems. Wash the leaves and dry them. Set aside. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and the Sorrel leaves.
Saute for a few minutes till the Sorrel leaves are wilted and slightly changes color. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
Heat half a teaspoon of oil in a kadai and add in the urad dal, chana dal and toor dal. Roast the lentils on a low flame. Saute continuously to avoid the lentils from burning. Once the lentils are slightly brown and fragrant, remove from the kadai and set aside on a plate to cool.
In the same kadai, heat half a teaspoon of oil, add in in the coriander seeds, black pepper and methi seeds. Saute for a few seconds on a low flame until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
In the same kadai, heat half a teaspoon of oil, add in the dry red chillies (preferably guntur chillies), and tamarind. Saute till the red chillies plump up. Saute on a low flame at all times to avoid burning the spices. Once the chillies are plump, remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
Note: I have used around 15 dried red chillies today. Adjust the quantity of the red chillies according to your taste.
Take in all the roasted and cooled lentils / spices except the greens and grind to a coarse powder without adding any water. Make sure that the powders are coarse. Do not grind to a fine paste.
In the same mixie, add in the cooked curry leaves and sorrel leaves mixture. Sprinkle little water and pulse for a couple of times. Make sure not to add a lot of water while grinding and also make sure that the ingredients are still coarse. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoon of sesame oil (Indian gingely oil) in a pan and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the asafoetida. Add in the ground paste.
Add in the jaggery and the salt.
Saute for a good five minutes till the mixture is dry and streaks of oil starts to appear from the mixture. The thokku is ready.
Store the thokku in a glass / ceramic jar for 10 – 15 days in the fridge. Serve with rice and ghee.
- 4 tablespoon gingely oil (Indian sesame oil)
- ¼ cup curry leaves
- 3 cups cleaned sorrel leaves (pulicha keerai / gongura)
- 1 tablespoon white urad dal
- 1 tablespoon chana dal
- 1 tablespoon toor dal
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 7-8 black peppercorn
- ½ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek)
- 15 dried red chillies
- goose berry size tamarind (1 tablespoon)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 2 tablespoon jaggery
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- Clean the Sorrel Leaves and get rid off the stems. Wash the leaves and dry them. Set aside. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the curry leaves and the Sorrel leaves. Saute for a few minutes till the Sorrel leaves are wilted and slightly changes color. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
- Heat half a teaspoon of oil in a kadai and add in the urad dal, chana dal and toor dal. Roast the lentils on a low flame. Saute continuously to avoid the lentils from burning. Once the lentils are slightly brown and fragrant, remove from the kadai and set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same kadai, heat half a teaspoon of oil, add in in the coriander seeds, black pepper and methi seeds. Saute for a few seconds on a low flame until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same kadai, heat half a teaspoon of oil, add in the dry red chillies (preferably guntur chillies), and tamarind. Saute till the red chillies plump up. Saute on a low flame at all times to avoid burning the spices. Once the chillies are plump, remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
- Take in all the roasted and cooled lentils / spices except the greens and grind to a coarse powder without adding any water. Make sure that the powders are coarse. Do not grind to a fine paste.
- In the same mixie, add in the cooked curry leaves and sorrel leaves mixture. Sprinkle little water and pulse for a couple of times. Make sure not to add a lot of water while grinding and also make sure that the ingredients are still coarse. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoon of sesame oil (Indian gingely oil) in a pan and when the oil is hot, add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the asafoetida. Add in the ground paste.
- Add in the jaggery and the salt.
- Saute for a good five minutes till the mixture is dry and streaks of oil starts to appear from the mixture. The thokku is ready.
- Store the thokku in a glass / ceramic jar for 10 – 15 days in the fridge. Serve with rice and ghee.
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