Puliyogare is a simple tamarind rice made by tempering precooked rice with spicy tamarind paste. This tamarind rice is very flavorful and tastes spicy, slightly sweet & sour. It is traditional south Indian dish made on occasions to serve as a main meal. It is also very popularly offered to gods in Hindu temples & is served as a prasadam.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
1cuprice(preferably short grain like sona masuri, ponni etc)
4tablespoonstamarindLemon sized ball (use as needed, more or less)
1tablespoonjaggery grated (adjust to taste)
½teaspoonsalt(adjust to taste)
For tempering
½teaspoonmustard seeds(rai)
2 to 3tablespoonspeanuts(or cashews)
½ to ¾tablespoonschana dal(skinned bengal gram)
½ to ¾tablespoonsurad dal(skinned black gram)
Salt(as needed)
1 to 2green chiliesslit
1red chilibroken
2 to 3tablespoonsoil
1sprig curry leaves
1/8teaspoonasafoetida(hing)
To roast and powder
¾tablespoonschana dal
¾tablespoonsurad dal(skinned black gram)
2 to 3red chiliesbroken (preferably byadgi)
1tablespoonscoriander seeds
½tablespoonscumin(jeera)
½teaspoonmustard seeds(rai)
¼teaspoonmethi seeds(fenugreek seeds)
¼teaspoonpepper corn(powder)
1/8teaspoonasafoetida(hing)
1 ½tablespoonssesame seeds(preferably white)
2 to 3tablespoonsdried coconut(preferably copra)
How to make the recipe
Preparation
Wash rice a few times and cook to keep the rice grainy. Mushy rice doesn't go well to make puliyogare.
I usually cook rice with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles following the pot-in-pot method.
Spread the rice and cool it completely.
Soak tamarind in ½ to ¾ cup water. Add jaggery and stir until it dissolves.
When the tamarind turns soft, squeeze it well with your fingers and extract juice.
Taste test this and if you want it slightly more sweeter, add a bit more of jaggery. The sweetness reduces as you cook down. I prefer to pass it through a filter. Set this aside.
Make puliyogare powder
Heat a pan on a low to medium flame. Dry roast chana dal, urad dal and red chilies until lightly golden.
Add pepper corn. methi seeds and coriander seeds.
Continue to roast stirring often until methi begins to smell good.
Add cumin, mustard, sesame seeds and coconut. Continue to roast stirring continuously.
When the coconut begins to smell good. Add hing.
Switch off the stove and cool this completely.
Powder this as finely as possible in a blender. Set this aside.
How to make puliyogare
Heat the same pan with oil and add mustard seeds.
When they begin to crackle, add dals and peanuts.
Roast them until lightly golden. Then add curry leaves, green chilies and red chilies.
When the peanuts and dal turn completely golden, add hing.
Pour the tamarind and jaggery water and stir.
Add turmeric and salt. Stir and begin to cook until slightly thick.
Then add the powder little by little and mix.
If the mixture becomes too thick, then add some more water to the tamarind and squeeze. Pour this water back to the pan.
Stir and cook on a medium heat until it thickens.
You can add 1 tbsp oil at this moment.
Cook on a low heat until the mixture turns thick and begins to leave oil. Add more salt if needed.
Add this to the cooled rice and mix. Do not add the entire mixture at one time.
Add little by little as needed and mix to prevent too much of puliyogare gojju in your rice.
You may be left with some extra puliyogare mix, which you can use up the next few days.
Allow puliyogare to absorb the flavors for about 30 mins then serve.
Usually tamarind rice is served without any accompaniment. You can serve it with some plain curd.