Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice

A south Indian cuisine can’t be without tamarind rice”puliyodari. My daughter’s anytime favourite. She can forgot prayers and even god if the prasadam is puliyodarai and kesari at temple 😂. Here in singapore one can taste this tangy yummy puliyodarai in perumal temple every Saturdays without fail. I guess the fans for puliyodarai is more than perumal in the temple 😂. Basically it is a tempered tamarind rice with some spices and herbs. When I was young we friends used to pick the unripe tamarind directly from tree and eat it with/without salt 😋. Also the fruit tastes heavenly yummy…

Tamarind health benefits:

Aids in digestion. Boosts immune system. Effective against diabetes malaria asthma and assists in wound healing.

Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice

Cuisine: Indian (south Indian/Tamil)

Category: Lunch

Serves:3

Prep time: 30 Min's

Cook time: 20 Min's

Ingredients needed:

1 ½ cup cooked and cooled rice(to separate grains)

4 tbsp tightly packed tamarind soaked in 2 cups of warm water for minimum 30 Min's

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp/as desired roasted peanuts

1 tsp of jaggery

Salt as needed

Ingredients to temper:

1 tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

½ tsp hing/asafoetida

1 tbsp sesame seeds(can be added to the roast and grind section)

5-6 red chilies(adjust according to your spice level)

1 spring curry leaves

4 tbsp sesame oil

Ingredients to roast and grind to powder: (seasoning)

1 ½ tbsp channadal

2 tsp urad dal

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 red chili

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

To make the puliyodarai/tamarind rice:

1.Extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind. The juice shouldn’t be thick as we need to cook tamarind for sometime to get rid of the raw flavor.

2.Heat sesame oil in a heavy bottomed wok(as the tamarind might easily get burnt). Temper items given to temper.

3.Once the tempering items are roasted well add tamarind juice, turmeric and salt.

4.Bring it to boil and simmer for 5 Min's or till the oil separates from the gravy.

5.Add the jaggery and  seasoning powder and cook for less than a minute. Switch of flame and add peanuts. 

6.Mix the concoction with the rice and let it rest for sometime before serving.

Notes:

There are lot of variations you can do and neglect few ingredients but mustard hing peanuts chili sesame oil are the key flavors.

You can store the concoction for a week in refrigerator.