Puli Sadam
Tamarind rice — cooked, cooled rice mixed with pulikachal (the concentrated tamarind-sesame-spice paste made by simmering tamarind pulp with sesame oil, mustard seeds, dried red chilli, chana dal, peanuts, curry leaves, turmeric, and asafoetida until it reduces to a thick, dark paste). The rice is tossed with the pulikachal and left for at least thirty minutes so the paste penetrates each grain. The tamarind rice should be tangy-spicy with the background nuttiness of roasted sesame and peanuts, with the rice grains remaining completely separate. The second most important temple offering food in South India after ven pongal; offered at all major Vaishnavite shrines, particularly Tirupati. Carried in brass vessels and banana leaf packets for long journeys; keeps at room temperature for two days.
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Recipe
Ingredients
|
1 cup | Rice , raw |
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1 small lemon-sized | Tamarind , pulp |
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2 tablespoons | Sesame oil |
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1 teaspoon | Mustard Seed |
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1 teaspoon | Urad dal |
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1 teaspoon | Chana dal |
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2 tablespoons | Peanut |
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2 pinches | Asafoetida |
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2 tablespoons | Curry Leaf |
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3 to 4 | Red Chili , dried |
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1 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
|
— | Salt , to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Cook the rice with 2 cups of water until it's fluffy and separate. Let it cool.
- 2 Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract the juice.
- 3 Heat sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
- 4 Add urad dal, chana dal, and peanuts. Fry until golden brown.
- 5 Add asafoetida, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Sauté for a minute.
- 6 Pour in the tamarind extract and add turmeric powder and salt.
- 7 Cook until the raw smell of tamarind disappears and the mixture thickens.
- 8 Mix the tamarind paste with the cooled rice gently to coat the rice evenly.
- 9 Allow the flavors to meld for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
For enhanced flavor, roast a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and add to the tamarind paste.