Puliyodharai(Tamarind Rice) - Tamil Brahmin Style

Ingredients:

• Rice: As per your need.(To be cooked separately).
• Tamarind Pulp(thick): 1/2 cup.
• Turmeric powder/Haldi : 1/4 tsp.
• Asefoetida /Hing: 1 - 2 pinches.
• Roasted Peanuts,skinned: 1/4 Cup(Actually 1/2 tastes really good, but i felt it's a bit too much of pea-nutty taste).
• Bengal gram/Chana Dal: 1 & 1/2 Tbsp.(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
• Black Gram, split & Skinned or Urad Dal: 1 & 1/2 Tbsp.(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
• Dried Red Chillies, Halved: 7 - 8 nos (Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
• Coriander Seeds / Dhaniya (Whole): 1 Tbsp(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
• Fenugreek Seeds/Methi: 1/4 Tsp (Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
• Dry Coconut: 100 gms(Grated,Roasted & coarsely ground).
• Cinnamon Sticks/Dalchini: one 1" stick(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
• Cloves/Lavang: 4 - 5 nos.(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
• Black Sesame seeds/Black Til: 2 tsp(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
• White Jaggery: one 2" block(about 50gms, coarsely powdered, use the cleaned variety so you need not worry about cleaning it).
• Cumin seeds/Jeera: 2 tsp(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
• Sesame Oil/Any Oil of your choice: 1/2 Cup(i used Olive).
• Salt: 2 teaspoon(but it's always better to taste and add if required).

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds/Rai: 1/4 Tbsp.
• Black Gram/Urad Dal: 1/2 tsp.
• Bengal Gram/Chana Dal: 1/2 tsp.
• Dried Red chillies, Halves: 4 -5 nos.
• Curry Leaves/Karripatha: 15 - 20 nos.

Method:

• Cook Rice separately as per your need, and set aside to cool, it would taste better if each grain is separate.
• Soak tamarind well in advanced, squeeze out the thick pulp and sieve well.
• Dry Roast & Coarse grind Chana dal,Urad dal,Peanuts,Red chillies,cinnamon stick,cloves,jeera,Black Sesame seeds, together.
• Dry roast & coarse grind Fenugreek seeds,coriander seeds and set aside separately( please remember to use this powder in measured quantity only even a little more of this can turn all of the mixture bitter).
• Heat 2 -3 table spoons of oil,add all the powdered ingredients and allow to fry well until you get aroma.
• Add Hing,Turmeric powder(optional), now add 1 tsp of the powdered fenugreek & coriander powder which was set aside ,then add Salt and add all of the tamarind pulp, allow to cook well to let go off the raw smell of tamarind, add jaggery.
• Cover and simmer in a non - stick pan over low flame for 7-10 minutes,The best way to check if cooked is when the oil shows up on the surface.
• Take a separate pan for seasoning and add all the remaining oil splutter, mustard seeds, dry red chillies,chana dal,urad dal,& Curry leaves, take it off the stove.
• Mix with the tamarind sauce which is cooking & remove from stove.
• Mix with cooked rice as per requirement and you could garnish it with,fried or roasted peanuts.
• Serve Hot & Enjoy..;)