Puliyodharai
Veg
Vegan
Cooked rice tossed with a thick, concentrated paste of tamarind, sesame seeds, dried red chillies, and freshly ground spices, tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and peanuts in sesame oil. The definitive temple rice of Tamil Nadu — prepared as neivedyam at every South Indian temple and distributed to devotees after puja. The puliyodharai of Chennai's Kapaleeshwarar Temple is considered the gold standard.
Cuisines
Chettinad
Tamil Brahmin
Kongunadu
Madras
Andhra
Best for
Lunch
Build a full meal around Puliyodharai
Get a matched combo of sides and accents
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
|
1 cup | Basmati rice |
|
2 tablespoons | Tamarind , pulp |
|
2 tablespoons | Sesame oil |
|
1 teaspoon | Mustard Seed |
|
1 teaspoon | Urad dal |
|
1 teaspoon | Chana dal |
|
2 tablespoons | Peanut |
|
2 tablespoons | Curry Leaf |
|
3 | Red Chili , dried |
|
1 pinch | Asafoetida |
|
1 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
|
2 tablespoons | Puliyodharai spice mix |
|
1 teaspoon | Jaggery |
|
— | Salt , to taste |
|
2 cups | Water |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice for 20 minutes.
- 2 Cook the rice with 2 cups of water until done and let it cool.
- 3 Heat sesame oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
- 4 Add urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, and fry until golden brown.
- 5 Add curry leaves, dried red chilies, and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir well.
- 6 Add tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, and puliyodharai spice mix. Cook until the oil separates.
- 7 Add jaggery and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
- 8 Mix the prepared tamarind mixture with the cooled rice gently until well combined.
- 9 Let the flavors meld for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
For extra flavour, roast the peanuts and dals separately before adding to the oil.