Tangy and spicy South Indian rice dish prepared by mixing special tamarind sauce, spice mix, and cooked rice.
PREP TIME: 60 Minutes
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
For Cooking Rice
- 1.5 cup Jashn basmati rice
- 2.5 to 3.5 cups water
- 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- Salt as per taste
- 5-6 dry red chillies
- 1.5 tsp chana dal (split and husked bengal gram)
- 1.5 tsp urad dal (split and husked black gram)
- 0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 2.5 tsp coriander seeds
- 0.5 tsp sesame seeds
- 3-4 pieces of whole black pepper
- 0.5 tsp asafoetida
- Tamarind Pulp
- ⅓ cup tamarind (broken into loose pieces)
- 2.5 cups hot water for tamarind pulp
- For Tempering & Other Ingredients
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 cup peanuts
- 1.5 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 1.5 tsp chana dal (split and husked bengal gram)
- 1.5 tsp urad dal (split and husked black gram)
- 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 3- 4 dry red chillies
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 2.5 tsp jaggery powder
- Salt as per taste
METHOD
For Cooking Rice
- Rinse 1 cup Jashn basmati rice well until water runs clear.
- Add the rice in a pressure cooker, sprinkle salt as required.
- Then add 2.5 cups water or as desired based on the rice quality.
- Pressure cook for about 3 to 4 whistles or 10 to 12 minutes to ensure the rice is well-cooked. But do not overcook.
- Let the pressure settle down, remove the lid, and fluff the rice.
- Transfer the cooked rice in a large bowl or plate. Allow it to cool.
- Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp sesame oil to the rice. Mix well and keep aside. Be gentle while mixing to avoid breakage. If you find any lumps, then break them.
- Preparing Tamarind Pulp
- Pour 1/3 cup tamarind in a bowl and add 2 cups of hot water.
- Soak the tamarind for about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Then squeeze the soaked tamarind to extract the pulp. Strain it and remove the seeds if there are any. Keep the pulp aside.
Preparing Spice Mix (Puliyodharai Masala)
- Take a pan and keep it on a low flame.
- Add all the whole spices (except asafoetida) listed under 'spice powder.’
- Stir them often and roast on a low flame.
- Keep roasting till chana dal and urad dal become golden and the spices become aromatic.
- Once done, switch off the flame and add asafoetida.
- Mix well and let the spices cool.
- Add the roasted spices grinder. Break the red chilies into pieces and add them too.
- Grind all these spices to a fine powder. Keep aside.
Making Pulikachal (Tamarind Rice Mix)
- In a pan, heat 3 tbsp sesame oil. Add mustard seeds, peanuts, urad dal, and chana dal.
- Saute on low heat until the lentils turn golden. By this time the peanuts will also turn golden brown.
- Once the lentils and peanuts are done, add turmeric powder, dry red chillies, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafetida, Mix well. At this point, you can also switch off the flame if required.
- Now add the strained tamarind pulp to the tempering mixture. Mix well.
- Add salt and jaggery powder as required. Stir and mix well. Simmer the flame.
- Let the tamarind mixture come to a boil. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens and you see a layer of oil floating on top.
- Add the ground spice powder and mix well.
- Continue to cook the pulikachal on a low flame for a few more minutes until it becomes like a thick tamarind sauce.
- Switch off the flame and keep the pan down.
Making Tamarind Rice
- Add the pulikachal or tamarind rice mix to the rice. Mix well but gently.
- Tamarind rice dish is ready! Serve right away with fried vadagams or papads. You can also wait for some more minutes letting the flavors to and then serve.