Indian cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Puliyodarai (Tamarind Rice)

A Tamil Nadu temple rice: tamarind paste seasoned with sesame and fenugreek, folded through warm rice.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250g basmati rice
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
• 2 tbsp peanuts
• 12 curry leaves
• 4 dried chillies
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Salt

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice and cook in plenty of salted water for 10–12 minutes until the grains are just tender, drain, and spread on a tray to cool to warm.
2. Toast the sesame seeds and fenugreek seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and the seeds start to pop, then crush finely in a mortar.
3. Heat the sesame oil, let the mustard seeds pop, fry the urad dal and peanuts for 2 minutes until light brown, then add the curry leaves and broken dried chillies and fry for 20 seconds.
4. Stir in the tamarind paste with 150ml water and the turmeric, season with salt, and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the paste is dark and glossy and pulls away from the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in the toasted sesame-fenugreek powder and let the paste simmer for another 2 minutes over low heat.
6. Fold in the warm rice a little at a time until every grain is coated, then let it rest for 30 minutes before serving – puliyodarai tastes best warm.