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.
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 a cup of prepared tamarind paste – pulikaachal and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well to combine. 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.
- 3 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (vendayam)
- 3 dry red chillies (add more for spicy)
- 3 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup sesame oil (gingely oil / nallennai)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoon chana dal
- 4 dry red chillies
- 1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 3 sprigs curry leaves
- ½ cup peanuts
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon jaggery
- Big lemon sized tamarind
- Rice as required
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 a cup of prepared tamarind paste – pulikaachal and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix well to combine.
- Serve with appalam.
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?
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
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.
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.