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Cooked colocasia leaf knots in red Pulimunchi masala, topped with browned garlic and a dried red chilli in a steel bowl.

Thetla Pulimunchi | Colocasia Leaf Knots

Colocasia leaf knots in a tangy red chilli and tamarind paste, finished with browned garlic.
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Ingredients
  

For the leaves

  • 500 g edible colocasia leaves (Alu Pata) prepared weight; cleaned, thick mid-veins removed and rolled into knots
  • turmeric and tamarind a little, for the leaf-preparation water
  • water as needed for cooking

Pulimunchi paste

  • 11–14 dried Byadgi chillies
  • 1 small lemon-sized ball of tamarind
  • 2 tsp jaggery
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • salt to taste
  • water a little, for grinding

Tempering

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 dried Byadgi chillies additional to those in the paste
  • 5 garlic cloves crushed; omit for the festive garlic-free version

Instructions
 

  • Clean the colocasia leaves and remove the thick mid-veins. While preparing them, soak in water mixed with a little turmeric and tamarind. Drain before rolling.
  • Roll each leaf into a narrow length and gently tie into a small knot. Take your time with the first few.
  • Grind the Byadgi chillies, tamarind, jaggery, salt and turmeric into a smooth paste, adding a little water to help the mixer along.
  • Put 2 tablespoons of the paste into a pan with some water. Add the leaf knots and cook thoroughly. These leaves take at least 15 minutes in my preparation. Continue cooking as needed until the knots are fully tender, including their centres, adding water if the pan begins to dry out.
  • Once the knots are fully cooked, add the remaining paste and mix gently. Check the seasoning for a balance of spice and sourness, with a hint of sweetness.
  • Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the added paste is cooked through, then turn off the heat.
  • Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add the dried red chillies and crushed garlic. Let the garlic brown without burning. Pour over the leaves and mix gently.
  • Serve as a side dish with rice.

Notes

Use 500 g prepared leaves/knots. Tempering measures are approved reference-based starting quantities; the original paste and two-stage cooking method are preserved. The soak and vein removal do not replace thorough cooking. Check the centre of a knot: 15 minutes is a starting point, not a guarantee for every leaf or knot size. For our festive version, omit garlic but retain the coconut-oil, mustard and chilli tempering. We also use colocasia and amaranth stalks alongside the knots; this recipe follows the leaf-knot story sequence.