Ingredients

Cook sufficient rice as per your requirement in pressure cooker with just enough water to give fluffy rice . Allow to cool on a plate .

For tempering

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tsp split udad dal ( optional ) some people skip this dal .

3 tbsp chana dal

1 tsp methi seeds

1 tsp asafoetida solid or powder ( solid preferred )

sprigs of curry leaves

handful peanuts

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

rock salt preferred .

10 red chillies broken or as preferred

125 ml sesame oil recommended for longer shelflife and taste . No other oil will do ! please use sesame oil also called gingelly oil .

Other ingredients

100 grams tamrind soaked in hot water and maximum juice extracted approx about 5 cups of juice .

For tastemaker powder ( mel podi ) that is added during the cooking and as a topping later .

4 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp methi seeds

1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds , dont skip this !

10 red chillies of both spicy and medium spice varieties. use Byadagi chilies for colour . reduce if you prefer a less spicy podi .

Seperately fry some more peanuts for adding to rice after mixing pulikaachal paste .

Method

1. First dry roast the coriander seeds, methi seeds till aromatic, better to dry roast seperately. keep aside .

2. dry roast sesame seeds on low flame till they pop.

3. with 1 tsp oil , roast red chillies , keep aside .

4. You can also seperately oil roast red chillies and powder and keep seperately, so that while adding the mel podi, you can add the red chili powder seperately as per need .

5. Allow all these to cool and then grind them to a little coasre powder, keep aside .

To prepare pulikaachal

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan, heat it, add sesame oil , first fry the asafoetida solid piece till it is crisp, then splutter mustard seeds, add chana dal, split udad dal , add handful of peanuts ,methi seeds , curry leaves, add red chillies , sautee on low flame . keep stirring with spatula so no ingredient will become scorched .

2. Then add in the tamrind water slowly ( it will cause heavy spattering) about 5-6 cups .Add salt , turmeric powder , now allow this mixture to cook till it is thickening or reducing . you can slso add in seperately 1 tbsp of freshly ground chili powder .

3. When the sauce seems to be thickening ,then add in the mel podi , as much as required, dont add all of it . allow this mixture to thicken further, add 1 tbsp jaggery .

4. When oil floats on top the pulikaachal is ready . Dont allow it to dry up, remove when it isa thick batter like consistency, it will thicken further after removing from heat . this consistency will help to easily to mix with rice .

5. Remove from gas, allow to cool and store in a clean dry bottle, it will stay good in fridge for a month .

To prepare tamrind rice

1. Take required quantity of fluffed cooled rice , should be dry and seperate grains .

2. Add in sesame oil , mix well, add some fresh curry leaves ,add required quantity of prepared pulikaachal paste, mix well , add in fried peanuts on top,mix well ,

3. Next add in the ground mel podi, ( toppiong powder ) with extra chili powder that we ground seperately if more spice is needed . Serve with some appalam or wafers.

Browse my Instafeed for more recipes. Follow me in Instgarm for daily uploads .