During our childhood during the months of February when the fresh gongura (Red Sorrel) arrived fresh in the Rythu Bazaar (Farmers Market), my mom would make utta pappu or mudda pappu (plain dal) and gongura puluskoora. It was my absolute favorite and still is, because no one else knows about this dish. This was specially reserved for weekends because I would eat so much and fall asleep with a contented full stomach. I missed it for a few years when I came here, and then I discovered it in the Farmer’s Market and I went giddy. I’m not sure my husband ate this dish before and he said he loved it.

My paternal grandparents home makes this too, but their recipe is a bit different from how my mom makes it. There are very few ingredients used, but is so amazing to taste that it always reminds me of home. If gongura was cheaper I would have probably made it every weekend, and also it’s availability is only for a few weeks depending on the weather. I think this is one dish that I have never had any of my friends try or even taste and I haven’t made it for any other friends either. And now I feel really selfish for having saved this recipe to myself so long.

My mom cooks really well. I miss her cooking a lot and can never ever replicate the taste of her food. Even if I follow the recipe exactly as it is. I don’t know where my mom learned to cook. I’ve never asked her that question. Nowadays she Googles or searches on YouTube for a recipe and makes it. Back then when we didn’t even know such websites existed, she made these totally new dishes and they made our tongues wag. I learned to cook by watching my mom. Sometimes she would let me help her with chopping the veggies and I would enjoy it thoroughly. Though I watched my mom make this a hundred times, I still asked her the recipe before making it. So here is the recipe for Gongura Pulusukoora.

 

Ingredients

Gongura – 3 cups

Onion – 1 medium chopped into bite-sized pieces

Green chilies – 4 slit length wise

Curry leaves – 4

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt – as required

Tamarind Paste – 1 tablespoon

Water – 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

For tempering:

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Channa Dal – 1 tablespoon

Urad Dal – 1 tablespoon

Asafoetida – 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon

How to Make

Step 1: Heat the pan, once hot add the oil. To the heated oil add the channa and urad dal and let it sit for 30 seconds. Now add the asafoetida and the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering add the cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.

Step 2: Add the onions and fry them until they become translucent. Now add the gongura and the water and give it a mix. Add salt, turmeric and tamarind paste mix it up again and cover it with a lid.

Step 3: The water gets absorbed and if the gongura is still not cooked add a bit more water. If not, add the red chilli powder, mix it up and serve with rice.

Tips

1. I only added the tamarind paste because we love it tangy, you can completely skip it if the gongura is tangy enough.
2. You can add more channa dal for a more crunchy taste.
3. You can add another onion if you like the taste of it.
4. I added more green chillies instead of red chilli powder, that’s why I skipped the red chilli powder in the recipe above.

Po