Puliodharai - Kovil Style(Temple Style Tamarind Rice)

Here I'm..finally with a new recipe. Summer has started here, we are still trying to get organized and get used to the new schedule. School's out and kids are enjoying their summer holidays playing outside and having loads of fun with their friends. 

This year has been great so far. I keep updating myself in cooking/photography/software which I'm passionate about. Also I'm trying to set some time everyday for reading too. This year, I have started reading "Ponniyin Selvan" the best Tamil historical novel and I'm in second book now.  Really, its a wonderful book which makes your travel to historical days very easy. I generally don't enjoy reading historic books but this is a different one. I really don't think there would be anyone who could not enjoy reading this book. If you have not, please give a try. You will definitely feel that your time could not be spent in a more better way. Anyways, here's the recipe that I tried for Puliodharai. We usually get the home made paste from India which is great. Thanks to Mousiamba(mom's sister) who takes the effort in preparing and packing the paste on our every visit to India. But I always wanted to try making the paste fresh and use it. And the time has come. It really turned out great and kids loved too. 


Ingredients

1. Rice - 3 cups
2. Tamarind extract - Lemon size soaked in water and extracted
3. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
4. Channa dal - 1 tbsp + 1tsp
5. Urad dhal - 2 tsp
6. Black pepper - 1tsp
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
8. Sesame seeds - 2tsp
9. Red chillies - 4 +2 
10. Peanuts - 1/4 cup
11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Curry leaves
13. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
14. Gingelly Oil - few tsps
15. Salt - 1 /12 tsp(or as needed)

Method

1. Cook rice with 2-3 cups of water separately with salt.
2. Heat little gingelly oil in a pan.
3. Add Coriander seeds, 1 tbsp Channa Dal, Urad dhal, Black Pepper, Fenugreek seeds, 4 Red chillies and Sesame seeds.
4. Fry for few mts, remove from the flame and cool it.
5. Grind the mixture to a fine powder.
6. Heat gingelly oil again in the pan.
7. Add Mustard seeds, remaining Channa dal, Curry leaves and the remaining red chillies.
8. Add the peanuts and turmeric powder and mix well. 
9. Add 1 tsp of salt (or as needed). I added 1 tsp(2/3) of salt to rice while cooking and 1/2 tsp(1/4) to the mixture. 
10. Pour the extracted tamarind water and boil in low flame till the raw smell is gone(for about 10 minutes)
11. Add the powdered mixture and mix thoroughly.
12. Remove the mixture from the flame. 
13. Mix it with rice till it gets mixed thoroughly.
14. Enjoy the tamarind rice with black channa/coconut chutney or simply Chips.

Note : Add more oil if you feel the rice is very dry