Puliyogare

   

 Variety rice dishes are very popular in Southern India. Some popular ones are Tamarind rice(Puliyogare), Lemon rice, Mango rice, Curd rice and Tomato rice.They are traditional recipes. If you want to make a traditional Southern Indian recipe these are the ones. They are made just the way our grandmothers and great-grandmothers made them.

       The seasoning ingredients are same but flavorings are different. That is what gives them the variety. The flavoring can be one of these; tamarind paste, lemon juice, green mango, tomato or yogurt. Tamarind paste is the only one that can be pre-made and stored in the fridge.

       You can use any kind of rice in these dishes. Just make sure the rice is fluffy but not sticky. Freshly made room temperature rice is preferable. Cooking the rice with salt and a tablespoon of oil will add flavor and keep the grains from sticking too much. 

       Having said that Curd rice is the only recipe that needs a soft and slightly sticky rice.

       Puliyogare is the most frequently made variety rice. It is tangy and spicy.

Add all the seasoning and fry in oil

Add the tamarind pulp 

Add the chili, turmeric and asafoetida powder

Add salt and palm sugar and powdered spices

Mix few tbsps of water to dilute the paste

Mix in the rice

Ingredients:

Tamarind 125 grams

Sesame seeds 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/8th tsp

Chili powder as per preference

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Seasoning:

Peanuts 2 tbsps

Channa dal 1/2 tsp

Urad dal 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

Minced ginger 1 tbsp

Dried red chili as per preference

Palm sugar or white sugar 1 to 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Oil 3 to 4 tbsps

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for five minutes. Squish the tamarind into the water with your hand and extract all the pulp by straining the liquid over a strainer. 

Heat a pan on medium heat and dry roast the sesame and fenugreek seeds separately until they are toasted. Cool and powder them.

 Heat three tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Add both the dals, peanuts,ginger and the red chili. Fry until they turn golden brown. Now add the tamarind pulp and cook on low medium heat until it slightly thickens. 

Add the chili and turmeric powders along with the asafoetida. Mix and cook until the water evaporates and you have a thick paste and the oil floats on the sides and top of the paste. Add the salt, powdered spices and palm sugar or sugar. Mix well. Cool and store in an air tight jar in the fridge. 

This makes just a small quantity. You can double or triple the ingredients for more quantity.

The hot tamarind mixture will bubble and splash. Cook it on low medium heat. It can cause bad burns. 

To make tamarind rice, have cooked rice at room temperature ready.

Take two to three tablespoons of the tamarind paste in a pan. Add a few tablespoons of water to dilute the paste. Heat the mixture. Add rice and mix thoroughly. Adjust salt if necessary.Heat through.You can adjust amount of rice and tamarind paste to suit your personal taste.

Serve with any dry vegetable or meat curry and papads. Variety rice doesn't go good with gravy curries.

For a video of this recipe visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz2BjHcieWU