#30 Pineapple Pulisseri without Coconut

I started this food blog to turn my passion for food from a passive activity into an active interest.  Everyone loves to and has to eat to live,  but I think food blogs also probe into an entire culture. Not because I was raised in another country and live here in the USA,  but I believe everyone is a foreigner when they go somewhere that isn't their hometown even if you were to move from Texas to Montreal. At least for a while until you get to know the place, every restaurant, every food cart, every hole in the wall that is a part of that culture and will be different from what you are used to. Now that I raised my children from babies to adults right here,  I can say that I have spent the major part of my life in the US.  It is so fulfilling to personalize and participate in the activity of cooking and narrate these recipes, I hope that readers don't have to travel to know what it's like in places they are unlikely to visit. Another reason why I am encouraged to include many recipes from Kerala and regions of India.

As if all these weren't fascinating enough, flipping through my mind,  from time to time I unearthed other treasures from the past that had slipped my memory. One of them is this Pineapple Pulisseri and that too without the traditional coconut paste. The sweet and tart pulisseri is so piquant and tempting with steamed rice, it just brings back fond memories of home. Of course, it is easy to make modifications to the choice of vegetable or fruit used in this Pulisseri. You can get a different flavor if you substitute the pineapple with Mango chunks or cubes of a ripe Plantain.
Ingredients:
Pineapple Chunks in juice- 1 medium size Dole can
Plain Yogurt/Curds- 24 oz carton
Haldi powder-1/4 tspn
Green Chillies-4
Cumin Powder- 1/4 tspn
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for seasoning
Seasoning mix: mustard seeds, Methi seeds, Red chillies and curry leaves.

Method:
1. In a deep saucepan, place the pineapple chunks drained of juices.
2. Add haldi powder, crushed green chillies, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup water.
3. Place this on the fire and cook until pineapple is just cooked but not too mushy.
4. Add cumin powder and turn the fire to the lowest level.
5. Gently fold in the whipped yogurt into the mix and keep stirring to prevent curdling.
6. Remove from fire and stir well so that the gravy is smooth.
7. Place a skillet over the fire, add oil and the seasoning mix.
8. When the mustard seeds splutter, turn the fire off and pour seasoning over the pulisseri, stir well and serve.