
Tamarind Rice is a popular South Indian (Tamilian) dish also known as Puliogare, Puliyodarai or Pulikkachal. Tangy, mildly spicy and full of flavor, Puliogare is a common lunch option that’s quite easy to make at home. If you’re bored of the usual pulao, give this rice dish a go for a refreshing change.
Ingredients
- Rice, boiled 2 cups
- Cooking Oil 1-2 teaspoons
- Sesame oil 1.5 teaspoons
- Chana dal (Gram lentil) 2 tablespoons
- Urad dal (split black lentil) 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- White sesame seeds 1 tablespoon
- Coriander seeds ½ tablespoon
- Dried red chilies 10
- Fenugreek seeds ½ teaspoon
- Salt To taste
- Tamarind paste 100 g
- Sesame oil 3-4 tablespoons
- Raw peanuts a handful
- Mustard seeds ¼ teaspoon
- Curry leaves 1-2 twigs
- Turemeric powder ¼ teaspoon
- Asafoetida (Hing) Pinch
Procedure
Notes: While boiling rice, take care that the rice grains don’t stick to each other.
If you do not wish to use readymade tamarind paste, soak a lemon sized portion of tamarind in water for about 30 minutes, then squeeze it to extract its juice and discard the pulp.
- Prepare the spicy powder first. For this, heat cooking oil in a pan and add 1 tablespoon chana dal and 1 tablespoon urad dal to it. Roast for about 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add coriander seeds and 4 – 5 dried red chilies to the pan and roast everything for 2 – 3 minutes more.
- Now add fenugreek seeds and sesame oil and roast on low heat till sesame seeds sputter.
- Turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool & then grind it into a coarse powder.
- Now for the tamarind paste, heat sesame oil in another pan and add peanuts to it. Roast them until they change color lightly.
- Add mustard seeds, and when they crack, add both remaining dals, and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining dry red chilies and curry leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add hing and turmeric powder and mix well.
- Finally add tamarind extract/paste and salt and mix well. Heat until the paste thickens and oil starts separating.
- To the pre-cooked or boiled cooled rice, add tamarind paste, and sesame oil (1teaspoon more, optional), and mix gently so as not to break the rice grains.
- Add coarse ground roasted powder and mix. Serve after 30 mins!
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 2 – 3