Tamarind treat - Puliyodharai/ Pulihora

Ingredients:

Rice - 1½ cups
Tamarind paste - 2½ tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Green chili - 4
Red chili (dried) - 4
Turmeric - ½ tsp
Salt - 1½- 2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbs
Toasted peanuts- 2 tbsp

For spice powder:
Red chilies (dry) - 8
Coriander seeds - 1½ tsp
Split urad dhal - ¾ tsp
Split chana dhal - 1 tsp
Pepper corns - ½ tsp
Fenugreek - ½ tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Split urad dhal - 1 tsp
Split chana dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - per taste

Method:

• Cook rice seperately with enough water. Once cooked, seperate grains by adding 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder to the rice and let it cool
• Roast all ingredients except sesame seeds for the spice powder in ½ tsp of oil, toast(without oil) the sesame seeds seperately and grind everything together into a fine powder.
• In a tsp of oil, add the 4 red chilies and asafoetida, and let it roast till the chilies become dark brown. Now add the tamarind paste mixed in a cup of water.
• Add chopped green chilies, salt and curry leaves and let the mixture boil until the tamarind extract cooks and reduces to about half.

• Add toasted peanuts and the seasoning ingredients (roasted in ½ tsp of oil) to the rice.
• Finally add the tamarind pulp to the rice and mix well.
• Serve with plain yoghurt or sour cream.