Pulissery is a spiced buttermilk curry with a coconut base. The coconut is ground with spices much like for thoran but the curry is sour (puli=sourness) due to the yogurt we add in. I have seen many variations of Pulissery depending on the region and community in Kerala one comes from and I have made this based on my memories of last eating it and what ingredients I had in hand. You can make pulissery with ripe mangoes (mambazha pulissery), yam, raw banana or vazhakka pulissery, any type of gourd like ash gourd, taro or chembu, which is what I used. Depending on the type of chillies you use, your pulissery can range in colour from a mild yellow to a dark orange. I absolutely love this curry with rice and can’t imagine why I don’t make it more often. Here’s our lunch plate on Sunday. I made pulissery, kovakka thoran, Kerala-style potato roast or mezhukkupuratti, and we had it with store-bought banana chips. Delicious! Here’s a list of Onam Sadya Recipes for to make your Onam preps easier. Step by Step Pulissery Recipe:
- Cook the taro in about 1 cup water until soft.
- Meanwhile, grind the coconut+cumin+shallot+turmeric+chilli powder to a smooth paste adding water
- When the taro has cooked (check if it breaks apart easily when you press with the back of a spoon or your fingertips), add the ground coconut paste to it and simmer for 3-4 mins.
- Meanwhile, beat the curd with 1/2 cup water until smooth. When the taro-coconut mixture has simmered for about 4 mins, turn off flame and add the beaten curd. Mix well.
- Heat oil in a small pan for tempering. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds (if using), red chillies, and curry leaves.
- When the mustard seeds pop, add the tempered ingredients to the curry. Mix well, add salt, and keep closed for the flavours to mingle until serving time. NOTES:
