PINEAPPLE PULISSERY

PULISSERY
Puli means sour. Pulissery is a sweet and sour Kerala dish, prepared in a coconut and yogurt gravy. Pulissery is usually made with fruits. I have shown different variations of the Pulissery here. It is also made with Pumpkin, Yam(Chenai) or Raw Banana (Vazhakkai). This is one of the truly exotic dishes of Kerala.

PINEAPPLE PULISSERY
Ingredients
Pineapple - 11/2 cup cubed
Coconut - 1 1/2 cup grated
Cumin seeds 1 tspn
Thick yogurt - Curd – 1 cup
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Red chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Cooking oil -1 tbsn (Can use coconut oil for the typical Kerala feel)
Mustard seeds -1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tspn
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Red Chilly - 1-2

Method
Grind coconut, cumin seeds, sugar and salt according to taste together to get a fine paste. Try not to add much water. Keep aside

In a kadhai, boil the pineapple with 1 cup of water, turmeric and red chilly powder. Then reduce heat and cook covered on medium heat. Once the pineapple is done, it shouldn’t get too soft that it can be mashed.

Add the coconut, cumin paste that we prepared earlier and mix well. Allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the yogurt and mix well. Keep the gas on a low flame while adding the yogurt. Mix well and boil for a minute or 2 and then switch off the gas.

Meanwhile heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds and when they crackle add fenugreek seeds, red chilly and fry till the chilly gets plump. Add the curry leaves and pour this seasoning into the Pulissery.

Fry some grated coconut and add to the dish at the end of it. This is the special value addition to the dish.

Different Variations to the Pulissery are :

• MANGO (MAMBAZHA) PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Mangoes. Peel and deseed the mango and cut itinto cubes and follow the above method.

• BANANA (PAZHA) PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Bananas. Use semi-ripe bananas. Peel and cut the bananas into big chunks and follow the above method.

• ORANGE (NARANGYA) PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Oranges (Narangya). Peel and deseed the oranges and follow the above method.
  

• APPLE PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Apples. Peel and deseed the apples and cut them into cubes and follow the above method.
  

• PAPAYA PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Papaya. Use semi-ripe papaya. Peel and deseed the Papaya and cut them into cubes and follow the above method.
  

• ORANGE PUMPKIN (MATTHAN)PULISSERY - Pulissery can also be prepared with Orange Pumpkin(Matthan). Follow the above method. (For the matthan you can retain the skin but if the skin is very thick, u can peel it off)
  

• YAM (CHENAI) PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Yam. Peel and cut the yam into cubes and follow the above method.
  

• RAW BANANA (VAZHAKKAI) PULISSERY - Pulissery can be prepared with Raw Banana. Peel and cut the Vazhakkai into cubes follow the above method.