Puliyodarai - Tamarind rice

Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice is an authentic rice dish in Tamil Nadu. The cooked rice mixed with the tangy and spicy tamarind paste prepared with the classic ingredients. Each and every ingredient in the pulikachal (tamarind mix) adds flavour to this rice.

If you miss any one ingredient you will miss the perfect taste also. Nobody can say no to this classic and evergreen puliyodarai. To reach the ultimate perfection you must follow each and every step carefully.  There are many ready- made rice mixes are available for puliyodarai but preparing your own pulikachal for this puliyodarai is interesting and also gives you a unique taste.

Now let's see the important steps before preparing pulikachal

• You have to use only gingely oil for this rice. Other oils cannot give you the perfect taste.
• You have to cook the tamarind paste (pulikachal) with all the basic ingredients such as fenugreek, red chillies, compounded asafoetida, curry leaves and black sesame seeds. Please do not replace red chillies with chilly powder, black sesame seeds with white sesame seeds.
• The best part about this pulikachal is you can store the remaining paste in the refrigerator. So prepare a good quantity of this mix and store it in the refrigerator for future use.
• The rice is another important ingredient for this dish.Try to use ponni raw rice for this puliyodarai. Ponni raw rice works the best. 

Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice recipe - How to prepare Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice

Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice is an authentic rice dish in Tamil Nadu. The cooked rice mixed with the tangy and spicy tamarind paste prepared with the classic ingredients.

Prep time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : rice varieties
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

For pulikachal

• big lemon sized tamarind
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp urid dal
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 6 dried red chillies
• 20 curry leaves
• 1 small piece compounded asafoetida
• 1 tbsp powdered jaggery
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 7 tbsp gingely oil
• salt to taste

For the spice powder

• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 4 dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

For the rice

• 1 cup ponni raw rice
• 2.5 cups water
• 4 to 6 tsp gingely oil
• few curry leaves
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Cooking Directions

• Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes and extract the pulp with 1 cup of water. 
• Dry roast the chana dal, red chillies and coriander seeds. Roast them well till the colour changes or you can smell a nice aroma.
• In the same pan, add the black sesame seeds. When it splutters well, turn off the heat.
• Take a small chutney jar and add the chana dal, red chillies and the coriander seeds. Powder them well and transfer it to a bowl. In the same chutney jar, add the roasted sesame seeds. Whip it for 2 to 3 times and transfer it to a plate.
• Heat 5 tbsp oil in a kadai and add all the ingredients ( 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp urid dal, 1 tsp fenugreek, 5 broken red chillies and chana dal). When it turns golden brown, gently pour the tamarind extract from the sides of the kadai.
• Add the turmeric powder and required salt.
• When the tamarind extract starts to boil, add the curry leaves and the asafoetida.
• When the tamarind extract reduces in volume and the compounded asafoetida dissolved well with the extract add the jaggery. Boil for a few minutes.
• Now add the chana dal, red chillies powder to the tamarind extract. Mix them quickly with the ladle to avoid lumps forming.
• Next, add the black sesame seeds powder. Mix them well with the tamarind mixture. Turn off the heat.

How to cook the rice

• Take the rice in a vessel and rinse them well for 2 to 3 times. Add the rice directly to the pressure cooker and add 2.5 cups of water. After 12 minutes, keep the cooker on medium heat and pressure cook for 2 whistles.Allow the pressure to settle down naturally.
• Take a wide plate or bowl and add the cooked rice. Spread the rice with the ladle. Add the roasted peanuts and curry leaves over the rice.

How to mix the tamarind rice

• Add 4 to 6 tbsp puliyodarai paste over the rice. Sprinkle with a little salt and mix the rice gently.
• If the rice appears dry, add some more oil and puliyodarai paste and mix them gently. Do not mix them harshly. After mixing the rice, close it with the lid immediately.
• Serve this delicious puliyodarai with fried gram thuvaiyal and any roast prepared with plantain or potatoes. You can also serve this puliyodarai without any side dishes. Follow these instructions and prepare a tasty puliyodarai for your family and enjoy the lunch.

Puliyodarai/Tamarind rice with step by step photos 

Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes extract the pulp with 1 to 1.5 cups of water. 

Heat the frying pan for about 2 minutes. Dry roast the chana dal, red chillies and coriander seeds. Roast them well till the colour changes or you can smell a nice aroma. Transfer the roasted ingredients to a plate.

In the same pan add the black sesame seeds. When it splutters well, turn off the heat.

Take a small chutney jar and add the chana dal, red chillies and the coriander seeds. Powder them well and transfer it to a bowl. In the same chutney jar, add the roasted sesame seeds. Whip it for 2 to 3 times and transfer it to a plate.

Take a plate and keep all the ingredients ready for tempering.

Heat 5 tbsp oil in a kadai and add all the ingredients ( 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp urid dal, 1 tsp fenugreek, 5 broken red chillies and chana dal).

When it turns golden brown, gently pour the tamarind extract from the sides of the kadai. Mix them well.

Add the turmeric powder and required salt.

Close it with the lid and cook the tamarind mixture on medium heat.

When the tamarind extract starts to boil add the curry leaves and the asafoetida.

When the tamarind extract reduces in volume and the compounded asafoetida dissolved well with the extract add the powdered jaggery. Boil for a few minutes.

Now add the chana dal, red chillies powder to the tamarind extract. Mix them quickly with the ladle to avoid lumps forming.

Next, add the black sesame seeds powder. Mix them well with the tamarind mixture. Turn off the heat.

The Pulikachal paste for the rice is ready.

Transfer the paste to a bowl. 

How to mix the rice with step by step photos

Take the rice in a vessel and rinse them well for 2 to 3 times.

Add the rice directly to the pressure cooker and add 2.5 cups of water. Close the cooker with the lid and soak it for 10 to 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, keep the cooker on medium heat and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle down naturally.

Take a wide plate or bowl and add the cooked rice. Spread the rice with the ladle. Add the roasted peanuts and curry leaves over the rice. Swirl 3 tbsp gingely oil over the rice and allow them to cool for 5 to 7 minutes.

How to mix the tamarind rice with step by step photos
 Add 4 to 6 tbsp puliyodarai paste over the rice. Sprinkle with little salt and mix the rice gently.

If the rice appears dry add some more oil and puliyodarai paste and mix them gently. Do not mix them harshly. The rice will release the flavours after 2 to 3 hours. After mixing the rice, close it with the lid immediately.

Serve this delicious puliyodarai with fried gram thuvaiyal and any roast prepared with plantain or potatoes. You can also serve this puliyodarai without any side dishes. Follow these instructions and prepare a tasty puliyodarai for your family and enjoy the lunch. If you try this recipe for Puliyodarai send us your comments below and share the recipe for your friends and family.