PULI SADHAM / Tamarind rice

This is my version of Puli saatham.

PULI SAATHAM

Ingredients:

1 kg rice
1 big lemon sized tamarind ball soaked in 2 cups water
1 tsp tumeric powder
Salt to taste

To roast and make into powder:
50 grms channa dal (soaked and drained)
25 grms urad dal
10 dry red chllies
½ tsp fenugreek seeds

To Season:
150 grms ground nuts (soaked and drained)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbs channa dal
2 sprigs curry leaves
5 dry red chillies cut into small pieces
½ tsp asafoetida powder
100 ml gingelly oil

Method:
Cook the rice ¾ boiled with little salt. Drain the water.
Add 2 tbs of gingelly oil and mix. Let it get cold.

Dry roast all the ingredients under “to make powder”
Make a coarse powder and keep aside.

Squeeze out the thick tamarind juice.
Heat a thick bottomed pan, add the oil.
Once the oil is hot add in the mustard seeds and allow to splutter.
Add in the soaked ground nuts and channa dal.
Let them get fried, add in the dry red chillies .
Sauté for a second, add in the thick tamarind juice, salt, tumeric powder and the asafoetida powder. Boil till the raw smell goes away.

Keep stirring all the time as it will stick to the pan easily.
Now add in the ground coarse powder and the curry leaves.
The mixture will thicken and the oil will separate.
It will look like a pickle.

Spread the cold rice in a big container. Pour the puli kachal
And mix with a wooden spoon. The mixed rice should not be very dry.
As the rice will absorb the puli kachal and rice will become more drier.
Serve it alone or with potato roast.