புளியோதரை (Puliyodharai), tamarind rice

What to buy

Check your pantry first

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw rice
• 2 cups water for rice, adjusted for your variety
• 20 g tamarind
• 1 cup hot water for tamarind
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 2 tbsp peanuts
• 3 dried red chillies
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp powdered roasted coriander seeds
• 1/8 tsp roasted fenugreek powder
• 1 tsp jaggery
• salt to taste

Method

1. Cook the rice until just tender, then spread on a wide plate so the grains cool separately.
2. Soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze and strain the pulp.
3. Heat sesame oil. Crackle mustard, then fry dals, peanuts, chillies and curry leaves until the dals are golden. Add turmeric and asafoetida.
4. Add tamarind liquid and salt. Simmer until thick and the oil gathers at the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in roasted spice powders and jaggery.
5. Mix the cooled rice with enough paste to coat it. Rest 20 minutes and taste for salt before serving.