Pulihora aka Tamarind rice

Pulihora aka Tamarind rice

by Hb ~ Monday, June 1, 2009

I know there will be myriads of tamarind rice recipes. But, I thought I would share how it works for me. It's a dish we never get tired of making or eating. I have a feeling it doesn't come right always and needs that little trick and great patience to please the taste buds. Well, this is a recipe shared by my mom and she is a champion at this and I hope to be one. This traditional dish reminds me of many things, festivals and visits to temples, long distance journeys and many more. It's heavenly and this is how I make:

Serves 2
Cooking time 25mins

You will need these:
Rice - 1/2 cup(Basmati would be good. I used sonamasoori which I roasted for 2-3 mins in ghee)
Tamarind - quantity yielding 2.5 spoons of paste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 spoon
Chana dal/Bengal gram dal - 1 spoon
Green chillies - 3 (slit vertically and deseed)
Salt - 1 spoon
Powdered mustard seeds - 1/4 spoon
Jaggery - 1 spoon
Roasted peanuts - 2 spoons
Roasted cashewnuts - 8-9
Water - 1.5 cups

For tempering -
Oil - 1.5 spoon
Chala dal/Bengal gram dal - 3/4 spoon
Urad dal/Split gram dal - 3/4 spoon
Red chillies - 3
Curry leaves 2-3 sprigs
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon


For garnishing coriander

I make it this way:
1. Soak tamarind in water for 5mins. Soak chana dal in water for about the same time.
2. Extract the juice out of tamarind. Boil this along with turmeric,soaked chana dal and green chillies.
3. After the juice boils for 4-5mins it makes almost thick paste. Add jaggery and salt to this and let it boil for another 2minutes. Now switch off the flame.
4. Wash the rice and pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles(However your pressure cooker works). Make sure it doesnt stick to each other. Add little oil/ghee to the rice and mix it when it's still hot.
5. Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and as they pop add chana dal,urad dal,red chillies. After they turn to golden brown add curry leaves and asafoetida.
6. Add the tamarind paste and seasoning to the rice along with the mustard powder. Mix it making sure it doesnt form lumps and seeing to it that grains are separate. Check for salt here. Add coriander,roasted peanuts and chashewnuts.
7. Set it aside for about 30mins for the flavor to be absorbed by rice and it will taste great about 5-6 hours later.


I know this one is a savior when you don't have any vegetables. Making it is not as difficult as it is thought to be. Relish it as it is or with curd.

This goes to MINGLE event hosted by Nags of Edible garden, initiated by Meeta of WFLH. Theme for this event being Ravishing rice.