Puliyodarai

Pulikaichal

Pulikaichal is a preserve which stays for a few months in the fridge. This when mixed with rice is called Puliyodarai. I make pulikaichal once in a month as it can also be served as a side dish to dosa.

Ingredients

• Tamarind- 1/2 cup tightly packed
• Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

For the seasoning

• Red chillies 5 nos (cut into pieces)
• Mustard seeds-2 teaspoons
• Groundnuts- 1 cup
• Channa dal- 1/2 cup
• Urad dal- 1/2 cup
• Hing – 1 small piece or1/4 teaspoon powder
• Til oil (sesame oil) – 1 cup

For the powder

• Til oil 2 teaspoons
• Red chillies – 5 nos
• urad dal – 2 teaspoons
• Channa dal – 2 teaspoons
• Fenugreek or methi seeds – 1 teaspoon
• coriander seeds – 2 teaspoons
• Hing – 1 small piece

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze out thick juice to make 1 and 1/2 cup pulp.
2. In a kadai heat 2 teaspoon oil and fry the ingredients for the powder, stirring continously till golden.
3. Allow to cool and grind to a fine powder.
4. In the same kadai heat 1 cup oil and add mustard seeds.
5. When it crackles add all other ingredients for the seasoning and fry till golden.
6. Lower the flame and carefully pour the tamarind pulp in to the seasoning.
7. Add turmeric powder and mix well.
8. Allow to simmer till the pulp is thick.
9. Add salt and the powder and mix well. put off the flame.
10. Allow to cool and store in food safe, air tight containers in the fridge.

For the rice
Ingredients

• Raw rice – 1 cup
• Ghee – 2 teaspoons
• Til oil – 1 teaspoon 
• Curry leaves – 1 twig

Method

1. Wash and prepare rice in a pressure cooker, with 1 cup rice and 2 cups water.
2. Allow to cool a bit and transfer to a shallow dish.
3. Pour 2 teaspoon ghee and curry leaves fried in one teaspoon til oil.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of the pulikaichal and mix lightly with dosa chattukam.