Pulikachal & Puliyodarai (Tamrind Rice)

Pulikachal is gravy used to make puliyodarai (pulihora/puli saadham/tamarind rice). Puliodarai is a traditional food that tastes its best in iyengar temples. It in fact tastes great after the rice soaks well in the pulikachal and so puliyodarai is the default food in south Indian picnics.

Preparation time: 45-50 minutes (most of it is the boiling time and does not require constant attention)

Ingredients:
Dried Red chillies (kanja molaga): 3 (broken)
Tamarind water: 5 cups
Ground nuts: 3 tsp
Channa dal: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: about 10
Cooking oil: 2 tsps
Sesame (Gingili oil): 1 tbsp
Yellu (til/sesame seeds): 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To Grind:
Dried Red chillies : 2
Channa dal: 2 tsp
Urad dal: 1 tsp
Pepper corn: 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Pulikachal (the gravy)
Step 1
Roast channa dal, urud dal, and pepper corns in 1 tsp cooking oil till both the dals turn golden brown.
Add 2 red chilies to this and fry it for about 15 seconds. Grind all the roasted ingredients.
Step 2
Heat 1 tsp of cooking oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds splutters, add ground nuts and 3 dried red chillies (broken into quarters or halves).
After roasting the ground nuts for few seconds, add the curry leaves, a pinch of asafetida, tamarind water and salt.
Boil for about 15-20 minutes and then add the ground ingredients
Continue boiling till the mixture thickens. This will take about 5-10 minutes.
Take the pan off the flame and add a little yellu and mix well
Let the pulikachal cool and then store it in air tight containers. You can use this pulikaachal for long especially if you store it in the fridge. Pulikachal can be used like a pickle to go with roti, yogurt-rice etc.

Puliodharai (the mixed rice)
Step 3
Add required quantity of pulikachal and 2 tsp of sesame oil to cooked rice and mix well. Mix carefully without mashing the rice. Your Puliyodharai is ready!