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White bowl with billala pulusu.

Billala Pulusu

Billala pulusu is a delicious recipe from Telangana. Savory besan (chickpea) chikki are cooked in a tangy, spicy tamarind gravy.
Author: Pavani
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: andhra
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For Besan ki Chikki:

  • 1 cup Besan
  • 2 teaspoons Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 2~3 Green Chilies, chopped fine
  • 3~4 Curry leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
  • To taste Salt
  • cups Water

For Gravy:

  • 1 tablespoon Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Red Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Fenugreek
  • To taste Salt
  • 3 tablespoons Tamarind paste
  • cups Water, plus more if needed
  • 1~2 teaspoons Jaggery or sugar (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons Cilantro

Instructions

To make besan chikki:

  • Sift the besan to ensure there are no lumps. In a medium size nonstick skillet on medium-low flame, dry roast besan until it turns golden and smells fragrant. Remove into a bowl and keep aside.
    1 cup Besan
  • Heat oil in the same pan on medium heat. Add mustard & cumin seeds and once the seeds start to splutter, add green chilies, curry leaves, turmeric and salt. Mix well.
    2 teaspoons Oil, ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, 2~3 Green Chilies, chopped fine, 3~4 Curry leaves, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric, To taste Salt
  • Stir in water and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the roasted besan in slowly and whisk thoroughly to make sure that there are no lumps. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the sides, about 3~5 minutes. Remove onto a greased plate, cut into squares and let cool.
    1½ cups Water

To make Billala Pulusu:

  • Heat oil in a medium pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook till they start to splutter, add onions and sauté till light brown, about 4~5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon Oil, ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
  • Stir in chili powder, ground coriander, cumin & fenugreek and salt. Cook till the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tamarind paste and water. Bring the mixture to simmer on medium flame. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 12~15 minutes. If the mixture seems too thick, add more water and cook until heated through.
    3 tablespoons Tamarind paste, 1½ cups Water, plus more if needed, 1 teaspoon Red Chili powder, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin, ½ teaspoon Ground Fenugreek, To taste Salt
  • Add the besan chikki and simmer for another 5~7 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice or roti.
    2 tablespoons Cilantro

Video

Notes

    • Sifting the chickpea flour is very important. This avoids the formation of lumps once cooked.
    • Make sure to cook besan chikki in a nonstick pan because it helps to not stick to the pan.
    • Make spicy besan burfi up to 3 days in advance. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Leftover billala pulusu tastes much better because the tamarind sauce gets a chance to absorb all of the lovely flavors.
    • Different brands of tamarind paste have differing sourness, so adjust the quantity of tamarind paste accordingly.
    • Add 1~2 teaspoons of jaggery or sugar to balance out of the sourness in the tamarind.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
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