Puliyodarai (South Indian Tamarind Rice) Recipe

Garnishing powder

• 1 tbsp split peas
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2–3 dry red chillies

Puliyodarai

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tbsp gingely (sesame) oil ("Til" oil in Hindi, "Nallennai" in Tamil)
• 2 tbsp split peas
• 2 tbsp groundnuts (peanuts)
• ½ tsp asafoetida (heengh in Hindi, perungayum in Tamil)
• 3–4 dry red chillies
• 4–5 curry leaves
• 1.5 tbsp tamarind concentrate
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ¾ tbsp salt

Garnishing Powder

1. Dry roast all ingredients in a pan without oil until deep brown.
2. Grind to a fine powder after the mix cools down.

Puliyodarai

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add groundnuts and split-peas, and fry until golden brown.
3. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and red-chillies (broken into pieces). Wait until the mustard seeds splutter, then remove pan from stove.
4. Mix rice, salt, turmeric powder and tamarind concentrate. Add a little oil to the raw rice before cooking it. This gives it a better texture.
5. Add the garnishing powder and curry leaves and mix well.