Puliyodharai

This is my mother's famous Puliyodharai recipe. It tastes so similar to the puliyodharai prasadam you get at the temples. She always makes the Pulikaaichal her own random way with no specific spoon measurement but only eye measurement (kann alavu as she says) ;-) So I asked her to note down the measurements of how much she has used with the proper measuring spoons, the next time she made and she immediately did this the next day and gave me the recipe. Now I am revealing her secret :-)

Pulikaaichal
This is the Tamarind spice mixture needed to make the Puliyodharai. It is like a pickle or thokku that can be made and stored for later use.

Ingredients

• 200 gm Tamarind paste
• 10 long Red chillies
• 1 tsp Methi seeds
• 1 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/2 cup Oil
• 2 tsp Urad dal
• 2 tsp Channa dal
• 1/4 cup Peanuts
• 2 springs Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 5 Red chillies split into 2
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 (heaped) tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan/ wok and fry the methi seeds and the 10 long red chillies. Fry them on medium heat till they turn brown. Switch off and allow it to cool and grind these in a mixer to a fine powder and keep aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard starts crackling add the asafoetida, urad dal, channa dal, 5 split red chillies and the peanuts and fry them till they turn a light brown.
3. Now add the curry leaves and the water. Stand back while adding water as it will splatter. Then add the Tamarind paste, turmeric powder and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer it till the mixture thickens slightly (like a halwa).
4. Now add the ground powder and mix well. Switch off the stove.
5. Follow the recipe below to make the Puliyodharai and store the remaining Pulikaaichal in an airtight container once it is cooled.

Suggestions/ Notes

1. The Pulikaaichal keeps good at room temperature for a week and it definitely keeps good for more than 6 months in the refrigerator but be sure to use a clean dry spoon every time.

Puliyodharai
This is also known asTamarind rice and is made by mixing the Pulikaaichal with cooked rice.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Pulikaaichal (Adjust to taste)
• 1 cup cooked Sona Masoori Rice

Method

1. Add the Pulikaaichal to the hot Rice and mix well with a fork.
2. Puliyodharai is ready to serve hot or cold!

Suggestions/ Notes

1. Once you make the Pulikaaichal, you can almost instantly make the Puliyodharai and this Puliyodharai tastes good even if it is cold. Hence it can serve as a nice picnic food or travel food. Also it keeps good for a day or two when kept at room temperature itself.
2. My Mom heats a little oil and fry more peanuts and add it to the rice along with a pinch of turmeric and mix the Pulikaaichal to make the Puliyodharai. But I am a little lazy and want to make the Puliyodharai instantly so added more turmeric powder and peanuts in the Pulikaaichal itself :-)