Ingredients
Scale
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