Tamarind Rice/ Puliyodharai is one among the familiar recipe when comes to variety rice. Also I would say a best tour recipe, when we go to tours during our school days my mom prepares this puliyodharai, last day evening and pack it for my lunch. Puliyodharai taste heavenly when accompanied with Kathirikkai Puzhikulambu / Tangy Brinjal Curry and Boiled Egg. Let us move on to the recipe…

Puliyodharai / Tamarind Rice

Puliyodharai mix / Tamarind Pulp

Ingredients:

• Tamarind – a small guava size
• Turmeric – a pinch
• Hing – a pinch
• Peanuts – a handful
• Steamed rice – a cup
• Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
• Red chilies – 6 nos
• Split blackgram / Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Black gram / Urad dal – 1 ½ tsp
• Bengal gram / Channa dal – 4 tbsp
• Fenugreek / methi seeds – ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
• Sesame oil / gingelly oil – 3 tbsp.

Spices getting tempered

With tamarind extract

Spice powder

Tamarind extract getting boiled

With grounded spice powder

Tamarind extract getting thicken

Roasted peanuts

With peanuts

With steamed rice

Puliyodharai / Tamarind Rice

Puliyodharai mix / Tamarind Pulp

Preparation:

• Prepare Tamarind Extract.
• Dry roast, 2 tbsp of channa dal/Bengal gram, 4 nos red chilies, 1 ½ tsp of Blackgram/Urad dal and ¼ tsp of fenugreek seeds, until the raw smell goes off or until they turn golden brown.
• Remove from fire, bring it to room temperature and grind it to fine powder.
• Heat oil in a kadhai, add in the mustard seeds, split blackgram, 2 nos of red chilies, and 2 tbsp of channa dal/Bengal gram, and curry leaves and ½ tsp of asafetida. Wait until they crackle.
• Pour in the tamarind extract, sprinkle ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and allow it boil or until the raw smell goes off.
• Add in 2 tbsps of ground spice powder, stir it well so that no lumps are formed.
• Let it boil or until it becomes thick, remove from fire and transfer it a bowl.
• Dry roast the peanuts, and add it to the tamarind pulp.
• Take the steamed rice in a bowl, add required amount of tamarind pulp as per your taste, and mix well.

Serve with kathirikkai puzhikulambu and boiled egg or potato chips.

Note: Store the leftover tamarind pulp in an air tight container, stay fresh in room temperature for a week or refrigerate it for a month time.