The famous synonym for Iyengar is Puliyogare, the most popular rice dish served in temples. This popular Puliyogare Gojju/hunase gojju recipe is from my elder sister’s friend, Jayashree, who is a Mysore Iyengar and prepares Puliyogare just like the popular temple’s prasadam. All credits to Jayashree. Puliyogare Gojju is what we need to for making the Puliyogare rice dish. Puliyogare Gojju can be prepared ahead of time and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 months to a year. Gojju can also be used as side dish to chapatti and rotti.
After making this gojju, there is a way to mix this with rice. We need a special powder. We have the detailed recipe for mixing and making this world famous puliyogare 🙂 Quite a long recipe to read, but once you get the hang of it it will be very easy.

Ingredients:

Making Hunase gojju/puliyogare gojju:

• 1/2 cup tamarind big orange size / 100 grams / 4 oz
• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup Jaggery 5 to 7 oz powdered
• 5  to 6 tbsp Rasam Powder/Saarina pudi
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1/3 cup black sesame seeds 75 grams
• 3/4 cup oil

FOR THE POWDER:

• 2 TBSP chana dal
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

FOR THE PULIYOGRE (Mixing it with 1 cup of uncooked rice):

• 3 TBSP oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• mix of 1 tsp urad dal and ½ tsp chana dal
• 2 red chillies (broken into pieces)
• ¼ cup peanuts
• 15 to 20 curry leaves
• 1 cup rice (wash and cook with 1½ to 2 cups of water with a little oil)
• 3 TBSP of Puliyogare Gojju
• 1 tsp Rasam powder
• 3 to 5 tsp of above powder

Method:

FOR MAKING GOJJU:

1. Wash and soak the tamarind in 3 cups of water overnight. Or boil the water and soak the tamarind for 3 to 4 hrs.
2. Extract the pulp to the maximum into a large pan.
3. Let it boil on medium heat.
4. Dry roast the sesame seeds, allow it to cool and then powder it and keep it aside.
5. Once the pulp becomes thick, reduce the heat to medium low.
6. Add rasam powder mix well.
7. Add jaggery also.
8. Let it boil for 10 minutes.
9. Add salt. Add sesame powder mix well and let it boil for few minutes.
10. Finally add oil and let it boil for 8 to 10 more minutes. Or once it comes to the leha consistency or oil comes on the top turn off the heat.
11. Now the Gojju is ready.
12. Once it is cooled completely store it in the fridge.

FOR MAKING THE POWDER AND MIXING WITH RICE:

1. Cook the rice and keep it ready.
2. Dry roast the chana dal, black pepper, and jeera until the dal turns golden brown. Allow it to cool, then powder it and keep it ready.
3. Transfer the cooked rice onto a big plate and let it cool.
4. After it cools, mix the 3 TBSP of Puliyogare Gojju and mix it evenly.

TO PREPARE THE SEASONING:

1. Heat 3 TBSP oil on medium heat in a pan.
2. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, dal mix, and peanuts.
3. Fry it until the dal turns golden brown.
4. Then add red chillies, curry leaves and turn off the heat.
5. Add this seasoning to the rice.
6. Mix well with hand.
7. Add 3 to 4 tsp of the prepared powder as well as rasam powder, mix well and leave it for 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Now our delicious popular Iyengar puliyogare is ready to eat.

NOTES:

1. Use dark tamarind for a better color.
2. Remember to cook in low heat.
3. Stir it in between to avoid the burning.
4. Be Careful, after you add rasam powder the mix starts spurting the hot liquid around.

Seasoning is done during Puliyogare Rice preparation and not during Puliyogare Gojju preparation. It is for two reasons:

1. Seasoning, dhal, peanuts and curry leaves will retain the crunchiness, since they are all prepared during this phase
2. Adding of fresh seasoning brings out the rich aroma of the puliyogare.
3. This is also popularly known as puliyodharai.