Pulicha Keerai Thokku, Gongura Thokku Recipe

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.

Here are other recipes from the site using greens, spinach etc..

Here is the video of how to make Pulicha Keerai Thokku, Gongura Thokku Recipe

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)
• 1/4 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
• 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek)
• 15 dried red chillies
• goose berry size tamarind (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
• 2 tablespoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Add in the jaggery and the salt.
9. 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.
10. Store the thokku in a glass / ceramic jar for 10 – 15 days in the fridge. Serve with rice and ghee.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Chutney
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

• 4 tablespoon gingely oil (Indian sesame oil)
• 1/4 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
• 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek)
• 15 dried red chillies
• goose berry size tamarind (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
• 2 tablespoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Add in the jaggery and the salt.
9. 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.
10. Store the thokku in a glass / ceramic jar for 10 – 15 days in the fridge. Serve with rice and ghee.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Chutney
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/pulicha-keerai-thokku/

Pichu potta Kozhi Recipe – பிச்சுப்போட்ட கோழி. Shredded chicken tossed in pepper, curry leaves and ghee. Perfect side dish for rice.

This is an extremely simple recipe. Unlike other South Indian non-veg dishes there aren’t many ingredients in this recipe. The success of this recipe depends on the size of the shredded chicken, roasting the chicken well in the pan, good quality fine ground pepper powder and ghee.

Here is how to do Pichu potta Kozhi Recipe – பிச்சுப்போட்ட கோழி Add the chicken pieces in a pressure cooker. Add in a teaspoon of salt and turmeric. Also add in two cups of water. Pressure cook the chicken for three whistles (around 6-7 minutes). Remove from heat and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally. Set aside. Note: The chicken stock can be used to make soup .

Shred the chicken into thin strips. Its important that the chicken is shredded into thin strips so the masalas coat evenly.

Heat oil in a pan, preferably peanut oil. Add in the sliced onions and lots of curry leaves. Add in a teaspoon of salt and saute on a medium flame until the onions are soft.

Add in the shredded chicken. Add in half of the black pepper powder. I like to use store bought fine ground black pepper for this recipe.

Add in a teaspoon of ghee and saute for two to three minutes.

Add in the rest of the pepper powder.

Add in a teaspoon of ghee and toss well to coat. Add in around quarter cup of water. The water will help the pepper powder adhere to the chicken well. Do not add a lot of water. Be cautious as this is a dry dish.

Keep sauteing for ten to fifteen minutes on a medium flame. Let the chicken get well roasted. A wide pan works well for this recipe. Once all the water has been evaporated and the chicken is coated well with the masala, remove the pan from heat. Finally sprinkle some curry leaves.

Pichu potta kozhi is done.

For cooking the chicken

• 500 grams chicken on the bone
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Other Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 3 sprigs curry leaves + 1 sprig curry leaves
• 3 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Add the chicken pieces in a pressure cooker. Add in a teaspoon of salt and turmeric. Also add in two cups of water. Pressure cook the chicken for three whistles (around 6-7 minutes). Remove from heat and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.
2. Shred the chicken into thin strips. Its important that the chicken is shredded into thin strips so the masalas coat evenly.
3. Heat oil in a pan, preferably peanut oil. Add in the sliced onions and lots of curry leaves. Add in a teaspoon of salt and saute on a medium flame until the onions are soft.
4. Add in the shredded chicken. Add in half of the black pepper powder. I like to use store bought fine ground black pepper for this recipe.
5. Add in a teaspoon of ghee and saute for two to three minutes.
6. Add in the rest of the pepper powder.
7. Add in a teaspoon of ghee and toss well to coat. Add in around quarter cup of water. The water will help the pepper powder adhere to the chicken well. Do not add a lot of water. Be cautious as this is a dry dish.
8. Keep sauteing for ten to fifteen minutes on a medium flame. Let the chicken get well roasted. Once all the water has been evaporated and the chicken is coated well with the masala, remove the pan from heat. Finally sprinkle some curry leaves.
9. Pichu potta kozhi is done.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu