By Rajlakshmi
January 13, 2026
Pulihora literally means sour rice. With the word puli meaning sour. It is a dish that is regularly offered as prasadam in temples during various festivals that are celebrated. Called pulihora in Andhra Pradesh, it is also known as the poor man’s feast.
500 gms rice 3 tbsp oil 1 cup curry leaves 3 green chillies 1 tsp turmeric Salt to taste 50 gms tamarind pulp 2 tbsp jaggery powder ½ tsp Mustard Seeds ½ cup peanuts 6-7 red chillies 1 tsp asafoetida
Boil your rice and take out all the starch. Add turmeric powder, curry leaves, green chillies and salt while the rice is still hot.
Heat the oil in a pan and pour in the tamarind pulp. Mix jaggery with the tamarind. When it gets cooked, add the rice to it.
For the tempering, heat up the oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add asafoetida, red chillies and peanuts.
Fry till the peanuts are light brown. Pour the seasoning over your rice.
Mix well. Enjoy your pulihora with curd or pickle.
You can store pulihora up to 3 days without a refrigerator. If you store it in the refrigerator, it will last you a week!