Tamarind rice (Puliodarai)

This delicious rice variety is also called Pulihora, puliyogare or Puliogare. Tamarind extract or tamarind sauce is mixed with cooked rice for the easy preparation of this special variety. It can be taken as a picnic, packed food while on travel, or at work.
It is also eaten as a snack. It is also prepared during special occasions.

Method of preparation:

• Soak a lemon size ball of tamarind in four cups of water till the tamarind softens.
• With the help of your fingers, prepare tamarind extract by crushing, squeezing, separating the seeds if any and filtering. (Tamarind extract is also called tamarind sauce, pulikkaichal, pulikkaichchal, or pulikkaraisal.
• Dry roast 1 tsp of fenugreek (venthayam / vendhayam / vendayam / methi).
• Fry two red chilies in a little edible oil. Powder this fenugreek and red chilies with ½ tsp of salt.
• Set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp of edible oil.
• Add 1 tsp of mustard (rai / kaduku), a pinch of asafetida (hing / perungayam), 1 tbsp of Bengal gram (chana dal / kadalaipparuppu) and 1 tbsp of black gram (urad dal / uluntham paruppu).
• Fry for about a minute and add 2 tbsp of peanuts (ground nuts / nilakkadalai / verkadalai / manila kottai / mallaattai / kadalai paruppu / moong phali).
• When the peanuts start browning, add the tamarind sauce, the chili-fenugreek powder, about ½ tsp of turmeric powder and check seasoning.
• Add more salt if needed.
• Let the tamarind sauce be reduced to thick consistency under low flame.
  (This can be preserved airtight for long time and can be used as and when required.)
  
  

The mixing:

• Heat 1 tsp of edible oil and crackle1 tsp of mustard in it.
• Add 1 sprig of curry leaves and 1 tbsp of peanuts.
• Fry until the peanuts turn brown.Transfer this on 2 cups of cooked rice.
• Add required amount of tamarind sauce (about 3 tbsp).
• Mix thoroughly.
• Tamarind rice is ready.

Serve hot or cold.