Puliyotharai | Tamarind Rice

Puliyotharai - Simple Tamarind rice with wonderful flavor and it's one of the famous prasadham in Perumal Temple. In my school & college days , i was a very picky eater.I found it very difficult to finish my lunch box. But this puliyotharai was one of the very few dishes i had it without any complaints.Whenever Amma made this puliyotharai for lunch, i used to carry two lunch boxes, the extra one for my friends.

Initially when I tried this puliyotharai , it didn't taste likes mom. To get the tasty puliyotharai, the tanginess from tamarind , hotness from the chili & salt should be balanced. I think that will come only by experience.

After attempting many times, now i confidently says that i can make puliyotharai similar to amma's recipe.This is not any authentic temple recipe. This is how Amma makes it & we like it and here is  the recipe.
   

Ingredients
Tamarind - Big gooseberry size
Rice - 3/4 cup
Roasted & split peanut - 3 tbsp
Coriander leaves - few(optional)
Jaggery - small piece

To roast & grind
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Red chili - 5-6 nos
Fenugreek seed - 1/4 tsp

To Temper
Gingelly/Sesame oil - 2.5 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Split urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Red chili - 2 nos
Curry leaves - few

Procedure

First cook the rice with water in 1:2 ratio & keep it ready. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for 1/2 hr or until it softened well.

Heat a pan, dry roast the ingredients listed under "To roast & grind" well. 

Once roasted, spread it in plate & allow to allow.Then add it in mixie & powder into coarse mixture.

Again heat the pan, temper all the ingredients listed under "To temper" one by one. 

Once the dal are well roasted, extract the tamarind juice & add it .Then add the  powder we made , salt  & mix it well. Allow it to cook until the raw smell of the ingredients are gone.

Finally add the jaggery & roasted peanut. Switch it off , when the oil leaves the sides of the pan.

Let it cool for a while & then mix the rice with the puliyotharai paste. Finally add the coriander leaves & give quick stir.

Tasty Puliyotharai is ready. It doesnt need accompaniment. As it is, it's very tasty, but we had it with Urualai varuval(Potato fry). 

Note:

• If you wish add a pinch of turmeric along with other spices.
• If you wish add the cashew nuts along with roasted peanut.
• Before mixing with paste, allow the rice to cool, otherwise the rice would be mashed while mixing
• Dont overcook  the rice, the rice should be separate grains.
• You can keep the puliyotharai paste in refrigerator for a week and use whenever needed.