Iyengar Puliyodharai Recipe also called as Kovil / Temple Puliyodharai, Puli sadam. Tamarind rice using home made Puliyodharai paste – Puliyodharai mix. South Indian Tamil Style recipe. Its also called as puliyogare in Kannada.
I still remember my tryst with Iyengar Puliyodharai. My first job after graduation was at a lending institution. One day I was having lunch with my manager in the pantry. The branch manager, Krishnan entered the pantry ( a 3 table tiny pantry) and since the other tables were not yet cleaned, my manager, Amrita offered a seat in our table. He had brought his mothers Puliyodharai for lunch. He offered us a taste of the Puliyodharai. It was absolutely divine. He told us that his mother makes the best tamarind rice in the whole world and I had to agree. He told, “You know whats the secret of a good Puliyodharai? Its all in the making of pulikaachal (tamarind paste)”. If done the proper way, Puliyodharai can be so delicious. Here is how to do Iyengar style Puliyodharai / kovil Puliyodharai.
Here is the video of how to make Puliyodharai, Iyengar Puliyodharai Recipe, Temple Puliyodharai
First, we will make a spice powder.
We will be dry roasting the ingredients one by one separately.
# Dry roast coriander seeds on medium flame till the seeds slightly changes in colour and one or two seeds splutter. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool.
# Dry roast white sesame seeds on medium flame till the seeds slightly changes in colour and becomes light brown. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool.
# Dry roast methi seeds (fenugreek – vendhayam), black pepper and dry red chillies on medium flame till the the methi seeds turn golden and one or two seeds splutter. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool.
The spices are roasted and ready!
Once the spices are cool, grind it in a mixie to a powder. Set aside.
Tamarind Pulp
Soak a big lemon size tamarind in two cups of water for 30 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Strain the pulp and discard the seeds and the fibre. Set aside.
Pulikaachal – Tamarind Paste – Tamarind mix with powder
Heat sesame oil (gingely oil – nalla ennai) in a pan until hot. Gingely Oil is the traditional oil used for the preparation of puliyodharai. Do not use any other oil. The flavour of gingely oil is very important for puliyodharai.
Add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add dry red chillies and chana dal. Roast till the chana dal is golden. Add in the tamarind extract / pulp.
Add in the hing (perungayam – asafoetida), turmeric powder and curry leaves. Let it simmer on a low flame.
In the mean time, dry roast the peanuts until the skin turns slightly black here and there and the peanuts are nicely roasted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove the skin and add it to the tamarind mixture simmering on the pan.
Add in the salt and jaggery. Jaggery balances the sourness of the tamarind. Jaggery is very important for puliyodharai.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the tamarind mixture on a low flame for 20 minutes. Saute once in a while to avoid the mixture from burning at the bottom. After 20 minutes, the mixture would have reduced and thickened and the gingely oil would have separated and can be visibly seen on the sides of the pan. The tamarind mixture is ready.
Switch off the flame and add in the ground spice powder. Tamarind paste mix – pulikaachal is ready.
Let the mixture completely cool down. Bottle it in glass jar and store it and use it as required. The pulikaachal paste can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Mixing and Assembly!
We will be using cooked rice and will be mixing it with pulikaachal. I have a tip for cooking rice that stays fluffy and does not become mushy. The secret for fluffy rice is to soak the rice in water for at least half an hour. I usually use Indian raw rice (sona masuri) variety. I add 2 cups of water for every cup of soaked and drained rice. I cook my rice in a rice cooker. You can do the same in the pressure cooker too. Cook for 2 whistles and allow the pressure to settle naturally.
Cook 1 cup (250 ml) of rice with 2 cups of water and cook it to firm texture. Allow it to cool completely. Once the rice is cool, Mix half of prepared tamarind paste – pulikaachal and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix well to combine. Adjust seasoning if necesary. The best way to combine the rice and the pulikaachal is to use your hands. As the pulikaachal is thick, a spatula does not do a good job.
Do not consume the tamarind rice immediately. The flavour develops after an hour. Enjoy with papad or appalam.
This pulikaachal will be enough for 2 cups of dry raw rice (uncooked).
Puliyodharai, Iyengar Puliyodharai Recipe, Temple Puliyodharai
Iyengar Puliyodharai Recipe – Kovil / Temple Puliyodharai, Puli sadam. Tamarind rice using home made Puliyodharai paste – Puliyodharai mix. South Indian Tamil Style recipe.
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 250-300 ml pulikaachal 1x
Ingredients
Spice Powder
- 3 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (vendayam)
- 4 dry red chillies (add more for spicy)
- 3 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1.5 teaspoon black pepper (use less according to spice levels)
For Tamarind paste / pulikaachal
- 1/3 cup sesame oil (gingely oil / nallennai)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoon chana dal
- 4 dry red chillies
- 1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- 1.5 teaspoon turmeric
- 3 sprigs curry leaves
- 1/2 cup peanuts (use less if you want less nuts in puliyodharai)
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon jaggery
- Big lemon sized tamarind
To Serve
- Rice as required
Instructions
Spice Powder
- Dry roast all the ingredients listed under spice powder separately till slightly dark and golden. Set aside on a plate to cool. Once the spices are cool, grind it in a mixie to a powder. Set aside.
Tamarind Pulp
- Soak a big lemon size tamarind in two cups of water for 30 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Strain the pulp and discard the seeds and the fibre. Set aside.
Pulikaachal – Tamarind Paste – Tamarind mix with powder
- Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add dry red chillies and chana dal. Roast till the chana dal is golden. Add in the tamarind extract / pulp.
- Add in the hing, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Add in the roasted peanuts. Add in the salt and jaggery.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the tamarind mixture on a low flame for 20 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and add in the ground spice powder. Allow it to cool completely. Bottle and use.
Mixing and Assembly!
- Cook 1 cup (250 ml) of rice with 2 cups of water and cook it to firm texture. Allow it to cool completely. Once the rice is cool, Mix half of prepared tamarind paste – pulikaachal and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add little oil. Mix well to combine.
- Serve with appalam.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Absolutely love this Pulli sorre recipe! Made it for temple prayers & for ponggal festival – such a hit! Thank you! ❤️
Followed the recipe to the dot – good instructions & so easy to follow!
Question : how should I store extra’s for later use? Freezer? Fridge?
the pulikachal can be store in the fridge.
I love your recipes. How much in grams is the amount of tamarind? I live in New York and our lemons are the size of golf balls and baseballs. So, weight of tamarind would really help. Thank you.
Check 1:44 on video. Thanks. I am not sure of the weight. I will update that.
Thank you so much.
No urad dail in temple puliyogre? Just asking, as I have seen many using it.
Hi
I am planning to make this for Golu, for a large group of guests. If I use 4 cups of rice how much pulikachal do I need to make
Whenever I’m making puliyogare, I used to follow your recipe. Good one!.
Thank you!
Thank you recipie came out good. I made it in large quantity and stord in fridge but I can taste fermented taste. Can you please help me to fix it.
If its fermenting, please do not consume.
Awesome recipe! Lovely manamaana puliyotharai! Thank you!
Thank you so much.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. it is a favourite dish, but I never made it on my own.
Thank you so much.
Nice recipe
Thank you!
Hi kannamma,
I tried out to his recipe today and it came out very well!!
Just one quick question..Is it ok to reduce the amount of black pepper used in the recepie…I got review from a family member that pepper taste was dominating…as one of the posts had mentioned earlier..
Ofcourse. Please modify the recipe according to what your family likes. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I have already made the pulikachal with the recommended pepper and feel the same as pepper flavor is a bit high otherwise it is excellent.
How to now reduce the pepper flavor in the pulikachal directly? Please advise.
Puliodharai come out well. My family members liked it. Thanks for recipe
Thank you.
Kannamma:
Your Iyengar puliodharai is simply superb. Keep posting more traditional dishes. All the best.
Thank you so much.
I love you recipe and i have tried to can you tell me how to make chicken noodles can you please share me the recipe please mam
Hi Suguna,
Thx a ton for this recipe. Just made it & savoured it. Loved by my family too.. had no thoughts of buying MTR… i follow yr sambar powder recipe and hv forwarded to many.. and now this will b the 2nd recipe that i shall recommend to all…
Thank you!
Hi Ms. Suguna,
Looks very authentic and I admired the detailed attention to making Tamarind sauce.
As regards Gingelly oil. I see posts that say many store bought brands taste bitter
or have gone rancid.
Any tips on how to choose the best quality giggly oil ? Any brands you can recommend ? What to look for ? How to store ?
We live Toronto, Canada and we have access to lot of south Indian grocery stores.
Also, authentic Puloyogare recipes generally recommend only Black sesame seeds . You recommend whites. Any comments ?
Thank you Rama. I am not sure of the brands that are available in canada. Any cold pressed / wood pressed sesame oil will be good. I just store it in a cool place and get in small quantities.
I use white sesame seeds for the colour.
You can drop a small piece of jaggery in the gingely oil to reduce its bitter taste and it will not go rancid for a long time.
Awsum
Thank you!
Hi Suguna,
Wanted to know for how long the paste mixed with rice or the puliyodarai rice stays good. We’re planning to take it on a plane trip and was curious to know
It will be good for 10-12 hours. be generous with the oil while making for long trips.
Hi Suguna,
Could you tell me for how many cups of raw rice would above tamarind paste be sufficient for? Last night I cooked restaurant style veggie biryani. it came out very well. Thank you so much!
2 cups rice (uncooked)
Delicious
Thank you!
Kanamma, wonderful recipe, planning to try it out today. How can we add chana dal to the puliodahari, I remember having kovil puliodharai that has black kondakadalai. Thanks a lot.
Each and every recipe if differs from place to place and from home to homes. 🙂
Excellent
Thank you. Glad you liked the Puliyodharai.
Hi Suguna,
I was wondering the best way to store the paste and powder if made in advance? We live in Australia and I was hoping to send some interstate – any chance this would be ok for a few days (up to a week at the latest) if packed securely and mailed?
Thank you,
Aparna
Hi Aparna, sure it will travel well. Make sure to keep the packing materials sterilized and completely dry. Use a little extra oil as buffer.
Thank you so much for your reply! This recipe was so good we ended up keeping it for ourselves so I had to make another batch to mail interstate 🙂
I’m a big fan of your recipes – I’ve followed your idli and hotel sambar recipes with fantastic results so thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us! I make sure to mention and tag @kannammacooks on instagram when I post pictures of my results too.
<3
Aparna
Thank you so much Aparna. Very glad that you liked the Puliyodharai recipe. Really happy you all enjoyed the tamarind rice.
Hey there,
How did you prep & send it via courier?
I plan on doing the same by next week so that it reaches its destination by Diwali.
Would appreciate tips
When the person you sent it to received it after that 1 week travel, how long did it last?
I have never sent via courier.
Do not know how well it travels.
Hi maam , your puliyodharai recipe is simply superb! Just made it…came out so well.
Thanks a lot for this awesome recipe!
superb😋
Simply easy to understand south Indian culture, the way you describe ingredients
Ma’am…. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Tried it out today and everyone in our family just loved it. I used to follow a different recipe. This pulikaichal definitely tasted better. Thanks once again.
I tried it out yesterday! It’s super-hit! Everyone loved it!
Thank youu for sharing, everyone liked it soo much.
Tried a few times and it came out well. Feell happy that I too being an average in cooking can do it so well. A big thank you.
Very nice.. Thank you for sharing…
Tastes very close to Tirumala’s!
Wonderful!
Thank you for generously sharing this recipe!
I suggest have one simple suggestion for improvement. It would be very helpful to have at least an approximate estimate of how much puliodharai can be made using the paste. How many will eat feed? Or at least how many cups of paste or will yield…
This way once can easily scale up the recipe ingredients when making larger quantity without losing the proper ratio of ingredients.
I struggle with getting consistent taste when I have to adjust a recipe to feed a larger group then usual…
Thank you! Your recipes are precise and easy to follow.
Super. Instead of using peanuts we can use chinna also. That will also give good taste. Thank you so much. I am always prepare puliyodharai in the same way. I am 66 years old.
Thank you the receipe… it tasted sooo good. Everyone in the family liked it
Hello Suguna…. thank you for the receipe….it tasted soo good… everyone liked it in my family…. thanks again
Pulikaichal turned out to be great.super taste
Thank you!
If we use hand for mixing rice, so it’s will be good for next day ?
Please let me know madam.
Hi Kathi, Yes it will be good for the next day. make sure you use clean washed hands.
If you are in doubt, feel free to use a spatula.
Superb recipe 👌👌My family liked it v much as well as my friends. Thanks 😊
You’re awesome!!! 😀 The recipe was a bomb, and the family absolutely couldn’t get enough of it!!!
Thank you!
Awesome recipe
Hi. Tried the recipe today. Had no doubts as to how it may turn out as it’s from you. As usual excellent. Thanks a lot
Is sesame seeds must for this receipe? Shall I try without it?
sesame n sesame oil is must as flavor n taste comes thru dat; in karnataka style, we add dry kobbarai too; n lill more jaggery; like 1:1 ratio of tamarind n jaggery
excellant taste.
I tried Ur recipe as u have mentioned and did as prasadham for Navaratri 5th day. Came out very well. Many has asked to share this recipe. Thanks a ton mam. Since it is Ur recipe I tried directly as prasadham without any doubts. On 7th day iam planning to try Ur kalkandu sadham. Thank u mam for Ur service
Thank you so much. Wishing you and your family a happy Navrathri!
Tried it. Very nice. I want to make larger quantity to and sent to my children who are working and away from me.. is it enough to multiple the spice quantity and d tamarind paste. Thank u for your suggestion.
Sure. Doubling the recipe would work.
Tried it and it was awesome. Thanks for the quick recipe
Hello akka,
In this receipe peanuts is compulsory?
Thanks
I’ve prepared puliyotharai just wth powder; chilly oil n sesame; evn omiting dals n peanuts tastes amazing– see to it salt, sour n sweet r appropriate;
Dear kannamma
My son 7 year old son loves it a lot… My entire family asking me to prepare this puliyodharai almost every Saturday…… everyone loves it .
Thank you so much😍😍😍😍😍
I tried this recipe today, it tastes divine. I think my search for perfect puliogare recipe ends here. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Thank you. Glad that you liked it!
Made Puliyodharai using this recipe for a potluck dinner and everybody loved it. Thanks so much for this recipe. Tastes exactly like the ones served in the temples.
Once I mix it with rice, can I store the rice in container? Going for a two day trip. Should I keep mixed rice at room temperature or fridge? Love your site.good job kannamma..!
Can I replace black sesame instead of white??
The colour will be very dark but you may add.
Hi Suguna,
I would like to make a larger quantity of the Pulikaachal and store it for repeated use. But the peanuts change colour and turn stale after some time. So can I make plain Pulikaachal and add fresh seasoning every time I mix Puliyodarai rice? In which case, will any of the proportions change?
Hi Nalini, Yes you may try. I will suggest not to change the proportions and add peanuts whenever you are making.
Very clearly explained…. no doubts abt anything, will try tomorrow, very excited evn before trying, sure it will come out well, will post my comments on my experience soon, thxs a lot
Thank you!
Best ever puliyodharai..in my pregnancy.. loved it so much… all credits goes to u.. thank u so much..
Thank you so much Uma. Wishing you the best for a smooth pregnancy!
I tried this recipe today. Came out well. Thanks for the recipe !!
Thank you!
Amazing recipe…. I tried it today and everyone loved it
Thank you so much : )
Thank you so much 🙂 Glad it came out well!
If we are using tamarind paste what is the measurement
For this recipe, please use fresh tamarind.
Hi Suguna…Happy New Year…I can’t wait to try this recipe…what are the traditional accompaniments ( if any …example, raita, specific curry…etc) for this dish?
Many thanks!
Potato fry, vadagam or papad works well.
Thankyou <3
Tried it today and really loved it. Thanks for the posting its owesome.
Thank you so much!
tq….now I learn how to make this recipe..
Thank you!
This recipe has been really useful. I come here to the same site over over again whenever i cook for guests or new dishes to hit KANNAMACOOKS.!!! Thank u so much
Thank you Sowmya. Glad you liked the recipe. Happy Cooking!
I tired . Really good intaste. Thank u for ur receipes.
Thank you so much!
Hi ma’am….I tried this today in large quantity. 5 times more than that is mentioned. So mine went very watery. Any tips to make it semi solid?
You mean the pulikaachal went watery? Just split the mixture between two kadais and let it simmer until thick. thats the only thing you can do.
Mine came watery too. and I added the powdered spices as well.
Can it be simmered after adding the powdered spice?
No. Do not simmer after adding powdered spices.
You need to boil the pulikaachal till it comes to right consistency.
Everyone liked the puliyotharai a lot . Very good explanation.
Thank you so much!
Really nice…. Your explanation made me to do this recipe… I hope it’ll come out very well
Hope you liked it!
The recipe is really awesome. Everyone in my home loved it. Thanks for the post. Just loved it????
Thanks Shirly!
Hi the above said pulikachal qty holds good for how much rice? If we mix in moderate rice to pulikachal ratio! And can you suggest how much pulikachal is needed for a gud 40 to 50 ppl!
There s a get together at home ! Tia
Hello…thanks for this awesome recipe. Just a small doubt.
Instead of white sesame seeds can we add black ones. What difference will it make.?
Thanks.
black sesame will make it too dark.
Can we use ponni rice?
Half cup pulikachal na how much ml 120 or 250?
1 cup is approx 240 ml
Can we use ponni rice?
Half cup of prepared tamarind na
How much ml?
1 cup is approx 240 ml. Sure you can use ponni rice.
Dear sugu sis.,
Made this and thoroughly enjoyed every morsel of it. I used to rely on my mom and friend for pulikaichal as I always felt making this is an Herculean task. As you posted this I prepared the podi same day. And the next day I made this to pack lunch. you made it possible. Tasted real yumm.my son relished it and went for second serving. I should thank you deary. Pl keep going.
Thank you so much Andal. really glad you liked the recipe.
Hi Suguna,
I tried this on my husband’s birthday and it came very well. We stay in US. As you know we carry puliodarai paste when we go for small trips in summer. Now we are very lucky to get this yummy recipe. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much. Really glad you like it!
Hello Maam all ur recipes r mouth-watering n typical tamil nadu style recipe ur annaporna sambar was a big hit in my family name friends.
Thank you.