Mango Pulihora with Brown Rice (Mamidikaya Pulihora)

By Pavani @napavani
Pulihora or puliyodarai is a popular rice based dish in South India. It is tangy and spicy and can be made in several different ways. Today's pulihora is one such variation using brown rice and raw mango. I already have 2 versions of Mamidiakaya Pulihora here and here.
Good quality raw mangoes are in the market now and I try to buy at least a couple every time I'm at the Indian grocery. I love making mango dal and quick chutnies with them.
I saw this recipe on a Telugu cooking show and have made it a number of times already. I have started to use brown rice more than regular rice these days and this recipe was perfect with it. Using brown rice adds much needed nutrients and also nice nuttiness to the dish.
Soaking brown rice ahead of time is necessary to make it cook quicker and also to make more easily digestible. I usually soak overnight, but if I forget to do that, then I soak it for at least 2~3 hours.
In this recipe, chilies and crushed ginger are added right to the water while cooking rice. This infuses the rice with the spiciness of chili and ginger -- little goes a lot here, so add just enough chilies and ginger without going overboard. In the original recipe, the chef added some mustard powder and mustard oil, but I just add 1~2tsp of mustard oil to give a nice punch to the dish. You can skip it if you are not fond of the pungent taste of mustard.
I've made this pulihora for festivals, birthdays and on days I just want to feel festive. I love everything about this dish -- it's nutty (both from brown rice and the peanuts), it's tangy, it's delicious and above all it's healthy.
Ingredients:
Brown Rice - 1cup
Ginger - 1" piece, crushed
Green Chilies - 2~3, slit vertically (adjust to taste)
Raw Mango - 1 small, grated (about 1 cup)
Turmeric - ½tsp 
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Chana Dal - 2tsp
Urad dal - 2tsp
Peanuts - 1tbsp
Dry red chilies - 2 (adjust as per taste)
Asafoetida/ Hing - ½tsp
Salt - to taste
Method:
  • Soak brown rice overnight or for at least 4~6 hours. Rinse and drain the water. 
  • In a medium size saucepan, combine brown rice with 1¾cups of water (adjust the water quantity depending on the type of rice you use). Add the crushed ginger, green chilies nd turmeric. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 25~30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and all of the water has evaporated.
  • Set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, fish out the crushed ginger and green chilies and discard.
  • Add grated mango and salt to the rice. Mix well to combine.
  • In a small pan, heat 2tbsp oil, add chana dal, urad dal, peanuts, mustard seeds and red chilies. Once the seeds start to splutter and the dals turn golden, add hing and curry leaves.
  • Pour this mixture over the rice and mix gently to incorporate all the flavors. Let sit for 10~15 minutes before serving.


Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: June -- Week 4'.