Puli Saadam or Tamarind Rice

It was very strange that I tried several new dishes but our favourite puli saadam or tamarind rice never occurred to me all these days. I remember during childhood whenever we traveled long distance or for journey by train or for any local picnics, my mom and maternal grandma used to pack puli sadaam with some thovial . We will all die to have them; somehow our digestive juices would start secreting an hour or two before our usual lunch time if we know puli saadam is for lunch. Gone are the days, but the hunger remains…

Serves: 3

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Tamarind – lemon sized ball

2.    Red chilies – 3

3.    Gingelly oil – 4 tbsp

4.    Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

5.     Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

6.    Urad dal – 1 tbsp

7.     Bengal gram – 1 tbsp

8.    Groundnuts – 3 tbsp

9.    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

10.            Jaggery – a pinch

11.  Fenugreek powder – ¼ tsp

12.Asafoetida – 2 pinches

13.Salt to taste

14.Steamed rice – 3 cups

Method:

Step 1: Soak tamarind in water preferably luke warm water for 15 minutes and then extract juice from it.

Step 2: Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds in it, roast groundnuts Bengal gram & urad dal. When they are brown enough add broken red chilies, curry leaves and sprinkle asafoetida and turmeric powder.

Step 3: Now add the tamarind juice to the kadai and boil until it thickens and forms a sauce like consistency. Add salt, jaggery and the fenugreek powder.

Step 4: Turn off heat.

Step 5: Spread the steamed rice in a wide mixing bowl or plate, pour the puli kachal (the prepared tamarind sauce) and mix well without breaking the rice. Adjust salt and oil as required.

Step 6: Serve or pack with pickles or thovials or fryums or plain curds. It is as such good without any accompaniment.

TIPS:

*The prepared puli kachal (the spiced tamarind sauce) can be stored in air tight container and refrigerated for a week which can be mixed with hot steamed rice as and when required.

*If you like to retain the crunch in the groundnuts add it roasted finally while mixing with rice.