Kovil puliyodharai Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice (I use either basmati or sona masuri)
• 1/4 cup tamarind
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp jaggery
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• Salt
• 2 tsp oil
• 6 red chillies
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp chana dal
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 6 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (solid)
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Cooking rice: ---

2. 2

   Cook rice for 4 whistles with 1:2 water ratio.

3. 3

   Once done, cool down in a broad vessel with a tbsp of sesame oil.

4. 4

   I usually add 1/2 tsp salt as my mom says it also helps in separating the grains.

5. 5

   --- Spice powder: ---

6. 6

   Heat a kadai/ pan with 2 tsp oil.

7. 7

   Add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, methi seeds, coriander seeds and roast well in medium flame.

8. 8

   Once dal is half roasted, add sesame seeds and roast until golden.

9. 9

   Lastly add curry leaves and give it a roast.

10. 10

    Set aside for cooling down and powder it coarsely.

11. 11

    --- Make pulikachal: ---

12. 12

    First soak tamarind in water for 30 mins. Extract juice to make it total 4 cups of tamarind extract.

13. 13

    In the same kadai, add sesame oil and temper with mustard, chana dal, urad dal, red chillies torn into small pieces, asafoetida.

14. 14

    Once mustard pops and dals are golden, add curry leaves. Add turmeric, red chilli and immediately transfer to tamarind extract.

15. 15

    Boil with enough salt until it is thick (for 10-15 mins). Lastly add jaggery.

16. 16

    Add 2-3 tbsp of the prepared spice powder. As it thickens further, switch it off.

17. 17

    --- Mixing: ---

18. 18

    Take the cooked rice, fluff it to separate the grains.

19. 19

    Sprinkle the remaining spice powder and add pulikachal. You may not require all, so add as needed.

20. 20

    Tear some fresh curry leaves and add to it. Add salt if needed.

21. 21

    Add sesame oil if needed to balance the spice level.