Puliyogare / Tamarind Rice with Pulikaichal Recipe

I was searching for a traditional puliyogare recipe and I found this one from Raks kitchen while browsing through her site. I should say this is a keeper recipe, I have made pulikachal many times following this recipe and have got tasty puliyogares.

I know Raks kitchen doesnt need any introduction at all....Her stepwise always are a plus which helps to get an idea by seeing the pics at one glance. These days whenever I'm bored I go through her site and I can say I have almost visited all the recipes after 2009 more than twice :) You can also have a look at my kovil puliyodharai recipe.

Apart from a fellow food blogger Raji is one of my close friends this blogging world introduced to me. I dont know how exactly it all started apart from exchanging comments it extended to chatting.We have shared many things right from the daily menu to the next post in blogging.I should say she is the only person who has patiently heard about all my DSLR lectures/doubts. I know what irritates her the most but still dont stop doing it ;) I have always admired her quick cooking, she would just say I m on the way to the kitchen, within few hrs the post will be done and with no doubt an amazing food photographer. She carries herself best with all those difficult festive sweets and snacks. I wish I learn atleast some from her.

Now on to the recipe with my few adjustments : I tell u, the procedure seems to be a bit lengthy but worth every bit of it :)

Ingredients for Pulikachal:

• Tamarind - 1 big lemon sized
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Hing (Perungayam) - a pinch
• Jaggery/sugar - 2 tsp [Adjust it according to ur preference of sweet taste]
• Salt - to taste
• Peanuts - a fist full

To temper:

• Mustard - 1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 1
• Urad dal - 1.5 tbsp
• Channa dal - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 8 to 10 leaves
• Cooking oil - 2 tbsp

To Roast and Grind:

• Channa dal - 3 tbsp
• Red chillies - 1
• Fenugreek seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Peanuts - 1 tbsp

Method for Pulikachal:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for 30mins, then extract tamarind pulp/juice from it. Mash it well with ur hands to extract the juice completely.



2. Dry roast peanuts till nice aroma comes, remove the skin after it cools down and keep aside.



3. Now in a kadai add a tsp of oil and roast all the ingredients under 'To roast and grind' (in the same order one by one) to golden brown and powder it. Peel of the skin of peanuts before grinding it.



4. Heat a wide bottomed kadai with oil and add the ingredients under 'to temper' in the same order.Finally add peanuts and roast until lightly browned.Then add the tamarind juice, turmeric, salt and hing.



5. Add enough water may be 1 and 1/4 cups(it should be very runny like rasam consistency at this stage) and allow it to boil for 15mins or till the volume gets reduced by half. At this stage add jaggery and 'roast & ground' powder little by little stirring continuously. After the powder is added the mixture starts thickening quickly. Stir continuosuly and allow it to boil for 2-3 mins.



6. Stir well and when it becomes a thick paste like in the below pic, switch off. Lastly after removing from fire, add the roasted peanuts and mix well. Cool down and store in a clean container.The shelf period of this pulikachal is 15-20 days when refrigerated.

See to it that the consistency should only be semi thick as it gets thickened more after switching off. Add a tsp of oil if needed while mixing it with rice.

To make puliyogare:

1. Cook rice(basmati or normal rice)with 1:2 ratio(rice:water) - I used normal rice only.



2. Allow the rice to cool down completely, then add the pulikachal (the quantity depends on your taste - I usually use 2-3 tbsp for 1 cup of rice). Mix well and enjoy ur puliyogare. Add salt only if required.