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puliyodharai-tamarind-rice
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Puliyodharai (Tamarind Rice)

Puliyodharai is a quick and easy rice meal that is perfect for when you're on the go or have a busy day ahead of you.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Sona Masoori rice
  • 8 cups water (for cooking rice)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder (added to rice)
  • 4 tbsp gingelly oil
  • 1 tsp salt (added to rice)
  • 1 tamarind (lemon sized) (soaked in 1½ cups water)
  • ½ - 1 cup water (if needed)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder (added to tamarind extract)
  • 1 tbsp jaggery powder
  • salt to taste

Roast and Grind:

  • 2 tbsp channa dhal
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 10 dry red chilies (adjust to taste)
  • 5 Bydagi red chilies (for color)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp gingelly oil

Seasoning:

  • 3 tbsp gingelly oil
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • 2 tbsp channa dhal
  • 1 tsp urad dhal
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 4 dry red chilies
  • ½ tsp asafoetida
  • 15 curry leaves

Instructions

  • Wash rice and add to a pressure cooker. Add water, turmeric powder, 1 tbsp oil, and salt.
  • Cook for 1 whistle and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Once released, transfer cooked rice to a wide mixing bowl or tray. Add 3 tbsp oil and make sure there are no lumps. Set aside.
  • Extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind. Add more water to extract juice, if needed. Set aside.
  • Add the extract to a pan and boil. Add turmeric powder and salt.
  • Boil the extract for 25 minutes. Keep on medium flame and stir often.
  • Add 1 tsp oil to a pan and roast channa dhal.
  • Once golden brown, remove from flame and set aside in a bowl.
  • Next, add coriander seeds and roast until aromatic. Transfer to the same bowl that has channa dhal.
  • Roast sesame seeds and methi seeds. Transfer to the same bowl.
  • Then, roast cumin seeds and black pepper. Transfer to the same bowl.
  • Add 1 tsp oil and red chillies to the pan. Transfer to the same bowl.
  • Let the roasted ingredients cool. Once cooled, grind into a coarse powder and set aside.
  • Add the ground powder to the boiling tamarind extract and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Next, add jaggery powder and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add tamarind extract to the cooked rice in small increments. Taste between each increment and add more, as needed. Set aside when done.
  • Add 3 tbsp gingelly oil to a pan. Once hot, add peanuts, channa dhal, urad dhal, mustard seeds, dry red chilies and asafoetida.
  • Once mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves. Roast until the peanuts and channa dhal turn golden brown.
  • Transfer to the rice and mix well.
  • Serve hot.