Description
Tamarind Rice, also known as Puliyodharai, is a classic South Indian dish featuring tangy tamarind paste combined with fragrant spices and toasted lentils, peanuts, and curry leaves. This flavorful rice dish is perfect for lunchboxes or as a comforting meal, offering a wonderful balance of sour, spicy, and nutty flavors with a delightful crunchy texture from fried lentils and peanuts.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice
- 2 cups Rice
- 6 cups Water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Gingelly Oil (for mixing)
Tamarind Mixture
- 1 large Tamarind (apple size)
- 2 cups Water (for soaking tamarind)
- Salt to taste
Spice Powder
- 20 Dry Red Chillies
- 2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 tsp Gingelly Oil (for roasting)
Tempering Ingredients
- 1 cup Gingelly Oil
- 10 Dry Red Chillies
- ¼ cup Split Chana Dal
- ½ cup Peanuts
- ¼ cup Split Urad Dal
- 1 cup Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Asafoetida
Instructions
- Cook Rice: Rinse the rice well and cook it with 6 cups of water as you normally do until fluffy and set aside to cool.
- Prepare Tamarind Juice: Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of warm water for 15 minutes, then squeeze and extract as much tamarind juice as possible. Discard the pulp.
- Make Spice Powder: Heat 1 tsp of gingelly oil in a small pan, dry roast 20 dry red chillies and 2 tsp fenugreek seeds on low heat until aromatic. Remove from heat and grind them into a fine powder using a blender or mortar and pestle.
- Prepare Tempering: Heat 1 cup of gingelly oil in a kadai or deep pan. Add peanuts and chana dal, frying them until they turn golden and crisp.
- Add More Ingredients to Tempering: Add urad dal, curry leaves, and asafoetida to the pan and fry for a few more minutes until the urad dal turns golden and the curry leaves are crisp.
- Fry Dry Red Chillies: Add 10 dry red chillies to the tempering and fry for about a minute to release their aroma.
- Cook Tamarind Mixture: Pour the tamarind juice into the tempering mixture and cook it on medium heat until it thickens and reduces, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add Spice Powder and Salt: Mix in the roasted spice powder and salt to taste. Continue cooking the mixture until it becomes pretty dry and the oil starts to separate from the mixture, indicating it is cooked well.
- Store the Tamarind Paste: Allow the tamarind mixture to cool. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Mix with Cooked Rice: When ready to serve, mix the prepared tamarind paste with cooked rice thoroughly. Adjust salt if needed and toss gently to combine.
- Serve: Serve the tamarind rice warm or at room temperature as a main dish or part of a meal.
Notes
- Use fresh tamarind for the best tangy flavor, but tamarind paste can be a substitute in a pinch.
- Be careful while roasting dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds to avoid burning, which can make the dish bitter.
- Gingelly oil (sesame oil) adds authentic flavor, but can be substituted with peanut oil.
- The tamarind rice paste can be stored refrigerated for several days and used as a quick meal option.
- Adjust the number of dry red chillies to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Ensure the oil separates well from the tamarind mixture to enhance taste and shelf life.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: South Indian
Keywords: Tamarind Rice, Puliyodharai, South Indian Rice, Spicy Tamarind Rice, Gingelly Oil, Lentil Rice, Traditional Indian Rice
