Puli Kuthi Upperi

Ingredients:
Raw Rice           50 grams.

Tamarind           Size of a lime

Red Chillies       Five or six as per the Spicy Tooth ( ahem...like sweet tooth).

Asafoetida         A small piece.
Turmeric powder, Salt.
Sesame seeds & Mustard for garnishing.

Curry Leaves.    A Pinch

Ladies Fingers.   5
Potatoes            .2 big ones.
Brinjals               3.No:

Raw Banana       1No:

Method:

Cut all the vegetables into pieces(as for Sambar). Extract tamarind juice and add water, so that the extract is two to three inches above the vegetables. Add salt and turmeric powder and asafoetida and boil.

Meanwhile soak the rice in water for ,say, 15 minutes , drain and fry in a dry kadai. Add the chillies after a few seconds and stir & keep frying on low flame till the rice turns golden brown. Remove and powder in the blender coarsely.

Once the vegetables are done, remove from fire. Keep a big kadai or the Pressure cooker vessel on the flame. Add three teaspoons or more of Coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and subsequently the sesame seeds. Add curry leaves and pour the vegetable/tamarind gravy. Lower the flame. Stir well and add the powder. Make the flame very low and keep this closed. It will be ready in a few minutes.( If you want it like dry vegetable dish, add more powder). This will be like a gravy.

Remove from fire and add a spoon of coconut oil.

Presto ! The dish is ready.

The powder can be made well ahead and stored in dry bottles.