Dabbakaya pulihora

Main Ingredients:

1. dabbakaya
2. rice

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 250 gms (regular rice like Sona Masuri)
• Dabbakaya - 1 (rough lemon)
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Chana dal - 1 1/4 tbsps (senagapappu/bengal gram)
• Split gram dal - 1 tbsp (minappa pappu/dhuli urad)
• Green chilies - 3, slit length wise
• Red chilies - 3-4, tear and de-seed
• Ginger - 1", finely minced
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Peanuts - 1/3 cup, roasted and peeled
• Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup, roasted (optional)
• Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 3 tbsps

Method

1. Wash the rice and cook in enough water till the rice turns soft yet each grain is separate. It should not be mushy. Spread the cooked rice on a wide plate. Sprinkle enough salt and a sprig of curry leaves all over the rice and mix into the rice. Set aside and prepare the tempering.
2. Squeeze the juice of the rough lemon or dabbakaya and place in a bowl. Discard seeds and skin. Set aside.
3. For the tempering, heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add urad dal, chana dal and allow them to turn red. Add the dry red chilies, slit green chilies, minced ginger, and asafoetida and mix well.
4. Add two sprigs of curry leaves and turmeric powder and mix well. Turn off heat.
5. Add this tempering to the cooked rice and mix well to combine.
6. Slowly add the squeezed dabbakaya juice and mix. Do not add all the juice at once. Taste and if it requires more tang, add a few tbsps of dabbakaya juice. Adjust salt if required.
7. Remove to a serving bowl and serve with appadam, pickle and yogurt.

Tips

• You can adjust the red chilies/green chilies according to your spice preference.
• Add dabbakaya juice, a few tbsps at a time. Mix with the rice and taste. If required, add more juice. Do not add all the juice at once.
• If the rice needs more sour flavor, you can add one or two tbsps of regular lemon juice.