PULIYODHARI / PULI SADHAM

     Puliyodharai or colloquially Puli Sadham is a simple yet special dish with divine taste - literally divine in its real sense. Puli means Tamarind and Sadham means Rice in Tamil. It has always kept me in awe, every time I have tasted this rice and  I wonder why Kovil Puliyodharais have a special extra note of taste in it. I love dishes that are tangy and I end up eating at least one extra serving, and Puliyodharai is one rice dish which tops its mark on my list in this category.  Simply serve it with Appalams/Vadagams or some Potato Varuvals to combine with it.
      This rice dish lasts long mainly due to its tangy nature.  May be we can prepare the Puli Kachal(Tamarind Mix) in advance, it stays good for about 3-4 days at room temperature and be stored for at least a month in the refrigerator, if prepared perfectly.  Traditionally  Pulikachal is a thick paste made of tamarind, dhals, groundnuts and flavoured with spices. Most people staying away from home prefer to carry a bottle of Puli Kachal for later use, mix it up with white rice and there you go with an instant wonder rice dish. Even this rice dish is one best travel-friendly take out.
     There are many variations in this humble Tamarind Rice.  A popular variation is Kovil Puliyodharai, which is usually served as Prasadhams, has a rich flavour of pepper and a divine taste.  Iyengar Puliyodharai is prepared with powdered spices and roasted sesame seeds.  Tamarind Rice is also called as Puliyogare in Kannada and it is prepared with slight variations.  From Andhra comes a spicier and nutty version. This recipe is a simple method made with Puli Kachal.

Cuisine : South Indian (Tamilnadu)
Course : Main
Spice Level  : Medium
Difficulty : Easy
Serves : 3- 4
Author : SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Rice - 11/2 Cup

For Puli Kachal/ Tamarind Mix :

Tamarind - 75 Gms
Dry Red chillies - 2-3 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tspn
Roasted Ground Nuts - 1/4 Cup
Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 Tbspn
Fenugreek Seeds Powder - 1 Tspn
Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs
Gingelly Oil - 2-3 Tbspns
Salt - To Taste
Jaggery - 1 Small Piece

METHOD :

• Cook raw rice as per instructions until soft (But not mushy). Allow it to cool down.
• Mix the Rice with 1 Tbspn of Gingelly Oil and leave it aside.
• Soak Tamarind in warm water for about 10 minutes.
• Extract Tamarind Juice, add Salt to it and leave it aside.
• Dry roast Fenugreek seeds in low flame until aromatic and grind it into a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Mustard seeds, Dry Red Chillies and Curry Leaves. 
• Add roasted Ground Nuts, Bengal Gram Dhal and fry for a while until they turn into golden brown colour.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and give a quick stir, let the flame be at the low.
• Add roasted Fenugreek Powder and Asafoetida Powder to the above and mix well.
• Immediately pour in the Tamarind Extract and leave it on a low flame for few minutes until Oil separates from the mix.
• Add Jaggery piece and mix well, wait until it is well dissolved.
• Add the cooked Rice and mix it until well combined in a very low flame.
• Keep the rice aside for at least an hour before serving.
• This is to ensure that all the flavours get infused into the rice.
• Serve hot or cold with any veggie of your choice, or just eat it with Appalams or Vadagams.

NOTES :

• Can prepare this dish with par-boiled rice too. 
• Cook the rice variety you are using, Al dente.
• Adjust the amount of Red Chilly Powder and Dry Red Chillies to suit your spice preference.
• Gingelly (Sesame) Oil would suit best for the dish. 
• Adjust the amount of Tamarind to suit your level of tanginess.
• The Tamarind Mix/Puli Kachal stays good for about 3-4 days at room temperature and for at least a month when kept in the refrigerator.
• Make sure the mix is well cooked without any trace of water.
• Store it in a dry, airtight container for later use, preferably glass/plastic containers.
• Use dry spoons while handling the mix.
• Do not cook or store this Tamarind Mix in Copper/ Iron pans, tamarind tends to react with the metals.