Puli inji or Inji puli is a traditional Kerala condiment served as part of an Onam sadhya. It is a tangy and sweet dish with ginger, tamarind as main ingredient. Let’s see how to make this easy dish in this post with detailed step by step pictures and video.
This is often served as part of Kerala Sadhya during Onam or Vishu. But you can make this appetizing condiment in regular days and enjoy.
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Ingredients
Pretty easily available and simple ingredients as you see below:
- Ginger – Inji – The star ingredient. I love to use Indian ginger as they are spicy, strong in flavour, perfect for this dish.
- Tamarind – Puli – Base ingredient. Use black variety of Indian tamarind (not paste) if available as old puli is best for this dish that gives deep dark colour as well as strong tanginess.
- Chilli – Use both green chilli as well as red chilli for spiciness to balance the tanginess.
- Red chilli powder – You need a lot of spiciness to balance the tangy taste. So we add red chilli powder too.
- Turmeric powder
- Jaggery – The sweetness balances all the tastes in this dish. I used jaggery powder. You can use any type.
- Salt
- Asafoetida – For flavour
- Fenugreek seeds – This is also added for flavour.
- Curry leaves
- Oil – Use coconut oil or sesame oil preferably.
See recipe card for exact quantities and full list.
Step by step images
Let’s see how to cook inji puli.
- Soak tamarind firstly in hot water for 30 minutes. I give it a whistle in small pressure cooker for easy extraction.
- After that, extract pulp using water and set aside. (Total 2 cups approximately)
3. Wash and peel ginger with a serrated paring knife or a spoon.
4. I gives a wash again and then slice it thinly lengthwise.
5. After that cut into thin strips (julienne).
6. Then chop finely. You can also do this in a food processor.
7. Gather all the things ready. Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard firstly. After that, add red chilli, asafoetida.
8. Then add finely chopped ginger and fry in medium heat until it turns golden.
9. After that, add chopped green chilli, curry leaves and turmeric.
10. Fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute in low heat.
Add tamarind extract.
In goes chilli powder, asafoetida.
11. Bring to boil and put the flame to medium.
12. Let it reduce the half the volume.
13. Then add required salt
14. After that, add jaggery. I used powder without impurities, so added as such. If your jaggery has impurities, heat it with little water to dissolve and filter to add at this stage.
15. Then add roasted fenugreek powder.
16. Mix well.
17. Once the inji puli is thick, shiny and glossy, switch off the flame.
18. It should be flowing consistency. As it cools will thicken slightly and become like a loose jam.
Super flavourful, appetizing inji puli or puli inji is ready! You can serve as accompaniment or even mix puliyinchi with steamed rice and enjoy. Since it is spicy and tamarind is more, watch the portion you consume as it may harm your stomach.
Substitutions & Variations
- This is a Palakkad style Inji Puli with no onion in it. But you can also make with onion on regular days when there is no festival offerings.
- Instead of chopping, use a blender to grind coarsely and make puli inji.
- You can deep fry the ginger and green chilli. Drain from oil and then boil everything together with other ingredients instead of sauteing. This comes handy when you make in bulk.
Equipment
Use manchatti or Kal chatti / Kari chatti for making this dish. I was skeptical to use bronze or brass since this involves simmering strong tamarind extract, even iron for that reason.
Storage
Use generous oil while tempering and inji puli stays good upto 3 months in refrigerated and handled properly.
Puli inji tastes best after 2-3 days once the flavours are mixed well.
Top tip
Instead of finely chopping in knife, you can also use a food processor to roughly chop it. This saves time or even help you if you are new using the knife.
Using jaggery gives it a gloss and also balances the taste. I suggest not to reduce the quantity.
Black, old tamarind gives best authentic looks and taste.
Peeling ginger will be easier if you use a small knife with ridges (serrated edged knife) or even a spoon.
FAQ
Inji puli or puli inji is a condiment, so it is served very little like a teaspoon or less than that in the top hand left corner of the banana leaf.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe card
Puli Inji Recipe | Inji puli | Kerala puli inji
Puli inji or Inji puli is a traditional Kerala condiment served as part of an Onam sadhya. It is a tangy and sweet dish with ginger, tamarind as main ingredient.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard
- 5 Red chilli
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- ¾ cup Ginger finely chopped
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 6 Green chilli
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder mild
- Salt
- ¼ cup Tamarind
- ¼ cup Jaggery Organic powder
- ½ teaspoon Roasted fenugreek seeds powder
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
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Instructions
-
Soak tamarind firstly in hot water for 30 minutes. I give it a whistle in small pressure cooker for easy extraction.
-
After that, extract pulp using water and set aside. (Total 2 cups approximately)
-
Wash and peel ginger with a serrated paring knife or a spoon.
-
I gives a wash again and then slice it thinly lengthwise.
-
After that cut into thin strips (julienne).
-
Then chop finely. You can also do this in a food processor.
-
Gather all the things ready. Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard firstly. After that, add red chilli, asafoetida.
-
Then add finely chopped ginger and fry in medium heat until it turns golden.
-
After that, add chopped green chilli, curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
-
Now add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and mix well.
-
Bring to boil and put the flame to medium.
-
Let it reduce the half the volume.
-
Then add required salt, roasted fenugreek seeds powder and jaggery. See note 1.
-
Once the inji puli is thick, shiny and glossy, switch off the flame. It should be flowing consistency. As it cools will thicken slightly and become like a loose jam.
Video
Notes
Note 1 : I used powder without impurities, so added as such. If your jaggery has impurities, heat it with little water to dissolve and filter to add at this stage.
