Puliyodharai(Tamarind Rice) - Tamil Brahmin Style

Puliyodharai...a classic recipe from the Tamil Brahmin's household...it's also been one of my favorites for ever since I even began to remember stuff. I still remember my Nani ma's classic Puliyodharai bottle packed in several newspapers & plastic covers to prevent the loads of oil from leaking, or sometimes better off in an old Jari(Old fashioned cute looking Jar to store pickles) sent over with someone or when ever we would go for summer holidays,I was sure to get it packed as return gift. What more did I ever want other than the tastiest food cooked by my "Nani" - a term for (my maternal grandma for those who don't understand hindi).
Well for those who still didn't get the hang of what's a Tamil Brahmin dish doing on my blog..well nani was born and brought up in Madras though a rajput by birth she spent umpteen years of her life there since her father was a Central government employee and was posted in madras for real long,she is even educated in Tamil & still speaks excellent fluency. That's how i get connected to Madras..;), well nani would spend a good amount of time making the puliyodharai gojju and it could be stored for up to 1 - 2 months.While my mom was happy with shortcuts, since she was married into a joint family of about 15 people living under one roof...sounds great but very difficult in practicality..but i just loved the way we lived in a joint family until i was 11 - 12 yrs old, but had to move out finally since travelling all the way from Home to Work became really tedious for dad after Bangalore began to expand...!!
Well lets cut the long story short,and get on with the recipe...,
Ingredients:

1. Rice: As per your need.(To be cooked separately).
2. Tamarind Pulp(thick): 1/2 cup.
3. Turmeric powder/Haldi : 1/4 tsp.
4. Asefoetida /Hing: 1 - 2 pinches.
5. Roasted Peanuts,skinned: 1/4 Cup(Actually 1/2 tastes really good, but i felt it's a bit too much of pea-nutty taste).
6. Bengal gram/Chana Dal: 1 & 1/2 Tbsp.(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
7. Black Gram, split & Skinned or Urad Dal: 1 & 1/2 Tbsp.(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
8. Dried Red Chillies, Halved: 7 - 8 nos (Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
9. Coriander Seeds / Dhaniya (Whole): 1 Tbsp(Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
10. Fenugreek Seeds/Methi: 1/4 Tsp (Dry roasted & coarsely powdered).
11. Dry Coconut: 100 gms(Grated,Roasted & coarsely ground).
12. Cinnamon Sticks/Dalchini: one 1" stick(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
13. Cloves/Lavang: 4 - 5 nos.(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
14. Black Sesame seeds/Black Til: 2 tsp(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
15. White Jaggery: one 2" block(about 50gms, coarsely powdered, use the cleaned variety so you need not worry about cleaning it).
16. Cumin seeds/Jeera: 2 tsp(Dry roasted & coarsely ground).
17. Sesame Oil/Any Oil of your choice: 1/2 Cup(i used Olive).
18. Salt: 2 teaspoon(but it's always better to taste and add if required).

For Seasoning:

1. Mustard Seeds/Rai: 1/4 Tbsp.
2. Black Gram/Urad Dal: 1/2 tsp.
3. Bengal Gram/Chana Dal: 1/2 tsp.
4. Dried Red chillies, Halves: 4 -5 nos.
5. Curry Leaves/Karripatha: 15 - 20 nos.

Method:

• Cook Rice separately as per your need, and set aside to cool, it would taste better if each grain is separate.
• Soak tamarind well in advanced, squeeze out the thick pulp and sieve well.
• Dry Roast & Coarse grind Chana dal,Urad dal,Peanuts,Red chillies,cinnamon stick,cloves,jeera,Black Sesame seeds, together.
• Dry roast & coarse grind Fenugreek seeds,coriander seeds and set aside separately( please remember to use this powder in measured quantity only even a little more of this can turn all of the mixture bitter).
• Heat 2 -3 table spoons of oil,add all the powdered ingredients and allow to fry well until you get aroma.
• Add Hing,Turmeric powder(optional), now add 1 tsp of the powdered fenugreek & coriander powder which was set aside ,then add Salt and add all of the tamarind pulp, allow to cook well to let go off the raw smell of tamarind, add jaggery.
• Cover and simmer in a non - stick pan over low flame for 7-10 minutes,The best way to check if cooked is when the oil shows up on the surface.
• Take a separate pan for seasoning and add all the remaining oil splutter, mustard seeds, dry red chillies,chana dal,urad dal,& Curry leaves, take it off the stove.
• Mix with the tamarind sauce which is cooking & remove from stove.
• Mix with cooked rice as per requirement and you could garnish it with,fried or roasted peanuts.

Serve Hot & Enjoy..;)
Preparation time: 15 mins.
Cooking time: 60 mins.
Well i had made most of the recipe without asking nanima, but when i tasted it i still felt something was missing and just could not figure out, finally called nani frantically and i was like this is what I've done, but don't know why just cant get the same taste as the one you make...! she listened carefully on the other side & said well I'm glad you've done most of it on your own but just add a dash of dry roasted & ground coconut,cinnamon sticks& few cloves to it all will be well.
Well just as nani said I just said " ALL IS WELL" and set to work, and who's grand-daughter am i after all..;-)
Ladies you must try this recipe the great thing is that you can make the sauce and set aside in an air tight container in the refrigerator with a shelf life of about 1 -2 months, one tiring day at work just cook rice mix the ready sauce up and set to eat, yummy Puliyodharai(that too with authentic taste, which you will seldom get elsewhere).