Tamarind Rice / Pulihora

Ingredients (Serves 3)

1. Rice (sona masoori, ponni raw rice, basmati or jeerakashala rice) – 1 cup

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

2. Sesame oil / refined oil – 1 – 2 tbsp

3. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 pinch (optional)

Dried red chilies – 1 – 2, broken

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Urad dal – 2 tsp

Roasted chana dal / pottu kadala – 1 tbsp

Peanuts – 3 – 4 tbsp

5. Hing / asafoetida / Kaya podi – 1 pinch

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp

Ginger – 1/2 tsp, finely chopped

Green chilly – 1 – 2, finely chopped or slit

6. Tamarind  – Lemon-sized (Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water for 10 – 15 minutes. Squeeze and strain the juice. Set aside.

Jaggery / sugar – 1 pinch or to taste

7. Sesame seeds – 1 tsp (Dry roast sesame seeds slightly. Grind to a powder when it cools down. Set aside to use later.)

8. Salt – To taste

Method

1. Cook rice adding enough salt. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Mix gently. Spread in a wide plate and set aside to cool completely.

2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, if using and fry dry red chilies, curry leaves, chana dal and peanuts. Fry for a minute. Add hing, turmeric powder, chilly powder, ginger and green chilies. Cook for a few seconds.

3. Add tamarind juice, little salt and cook for a few minutes until thick and oil separates. Switch off. Add cooked rice and mix gently. Add sesame powder. Serve with  pickles/ potato fry/ brinjal fry pappad / yoghurt / fryums etc. It tastes best after 1 hr.