Tamarind Rice/ Puliyodharai- South Indian Rice/ Temple Prasadam

Do you want to spruce up regular rice into a beautiful and satisfying meal? Try puliyodharai/puliyogare/tamarind rice, a South Indian favorite. It is a bowl of fragrant and exotic rice made with simple ingredients and yet tastes divine! If you are from South India, this tangy, spicy aromatic rice recipe needs no introduction. It is made on all festive occasions and is a popular prasadam at several temples in South India. Rice is a staple in the region and has a divine appeal. It is a cherished offering of South Indian temples. I still remember as a child, sitting in temple courtyards, relishing tangy rice offered as prasadam in small leaf bowls. You can find the tastiest tamarind rice prasadam in temples. Tirumala temple has had tamarind rice as an offering for centuries, and there are several inscriptions and historical accounts.

The exact recipe of temple/kovil puliyodharai is unknown. This recipe is not the authentic version but tastes incredibly close to the temple-style puliyodharai. The secret of a good Puliyodharai is making pulikaachal or tamarind sauce to mix with the rice. It is a perfect blend of roasted spice powder, tamarind sauce, and fluffy rice creates all the magic. The rice is aromatic with layers of flavor, and a wonderful blend of sour, spicy, sweet, and bitter. Gingerly oil, sesame seeds, mustard, black pepper, curry leaves, and peanuts add aroma and taste. The sourness of tamarind gets balanced by the sweetness of jaggery. One great tip to enjoy tamarind rice is to let it sit for an hour or two for the flavors to develop. It tastes even better the next day. You can serve it with papads, savory chips relish, or roasted potatoes. I am sure you'll love them too! Go ahead then and give it a try. Happy cooking!

How to make Pulikachal
Pulikachal is a yummy tamarind sauce or relishes that can be made, ahead of time. As I suggested earlier, perfectly made pulikachal is the magic ingredient for tasty puliyodharai. There is store brought puliyogare mix and spice powder but its tastes a lot better when you make it on your own. Added to this is the satisfaction of making your own homemade. You can make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator for up to a month. Bottle it in glass jars and use it as required.

There are two steps for making the pulikachal. The first step is to dry roast the spice powders, and the second is to cook the tamarind pulp till it reduces to a thick sauce.

To make the spice powder
Black pepper- 2 tbs
Sesame seeds (black)- 2 tbs
Mustard seeds- 2 tbs
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly- 2 (optional)

It is best to dry roast the spices separately and in a low flame till it is aromatic. Do not roast on a high flame, as the spice powder will turn bitter. First, dry roast the black pepper on low flame till it starts popping. Similarly roast sesame seeds and mustard seeds till it starts popping. The fenugreek seeds should be roasted, till golden brown. Next, roast the chilly till it is slightly crisp and brown. Allow this to cool down and grind it into a fine powder. You can use half of this spice powder to make the sauce. Reserve the rest to add to the rice. Add according to your spice tolerance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Variations to the spice powder.
There are several regional variations. You can try adding coriander seeds, urad dal, roasted peanuts, ginger, dry coconut, etc to the spice mix. You can mix and match and come up with a flavor that satisfies your taste buds.

To make the tamarind sauce
Thick tamarind pulp- 1 cup
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Chana dal- 2 tsp
Dry red chilly- 3 - 4
Curry leaves- 2 springs
Peanuts- 1/2 cup
Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Hing/ asfotida- 1/8 tsp
Jaggery powder- 3 tbs
Puliyodharai spice powder- 3 tbs
Warm water- 1 cup
salt to taste
Gingerly/ sesame oil- 4 tbs

To make tamarind pulp soak 60- 80 grams of tamarind in one and a half cups warm water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Mash and squeeze the tamarind with your hands and strain it.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds, and when it splutters, add channa dal, peanuts, and roast in a low flame till it is golden brown. Increase the heat and add curry leaves and dry red chilly and fry till crispy. Add the thick tamarind pulp and one cup of warm water. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer in low flame for 20 to 30 minutes. When the sauce starts thickening, add chilly powder, salt, hing, turmeric powder, and jaggery and mix well. Allow the sauce to simmer till it thickens, and oil separates. Turn off the flame, and let it cool down. To store in the refrigerator transfer it to a glass jar, drizzle a teaspoon of sesame oil on top and seal the jar. You can store it for one or two months in the refrigerator.

To make the rice
Basmathi rice-2 cups
Water- 4 cups
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Curry leaves- a few
Tamarind sauce- 1/2 cup
Spice powder- 1 tbs
(add according to spice tolerance)
Cashew nuts or peanuts for garnish.

Soak rice for half an hour, drain and set aside. In a large pan, add four cups of water, a pinch of turmeric, and salt. When it comes to a boil, add the rice and cover it with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover, reduce heat and cook till all the water is absorbed and the rice gets cooked. Switch off the flame, and using a fork, make the rice fluffy. Let the rice cool down completely.
Heat one tsp of oil in a pan and roast nuts and curry leaves till it is aromatic. Add the rice and the spice powder and fry in medium flame for a minute. Switch off the heat, and add the tamarind sauce. Gently mix the rice and sauce till well combined. Warm the rice for one more minute and switch off the flame. You can serve it with papads, lentil vadas, or chips.