Puliyodharai is rice blended in tamarind sauce (pulikachal). You can prepare this sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator. It keeps well for quite a few days.This rice is served as ‘prasadam’ (food offered to deities) in some south Indian temples. The concept of puliyodharai as prasadam is sheer bliss.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups rice
- 1 cup tamarind paste
- 4 tablespoons gingelly/ sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 tablespoons chana dal (bengal gram)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons urad dal (black gram)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 10-12 black pepper corns
- 2 red chillies
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon powdered jaggery
- 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
- peanuts
- salt
Procedure:
Cook the rice and keep it aside.
Dry roast 1 tablespoon each of urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds and the peppercorns. Grind them into a powder upon cooling.
Heat oil in a wok/ kadai and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, red chillies, curry leaves, asafetida and turmeric powder in quick succession.
Add the tamarind paste. You can use ready made paste or make it at home by soaking tamarind ( about the size of a lemon) in warm water.
Keep stirring the mixture on medium flame till the oil starts leaving the paste.
Add the ground powder, salt and jaggery and simmer the gas.
Cook for 15 minutes stirring frequently.
Mix the rice with the pulikachal and serve with pappadums or fryums.
