Puliyumchadam/Puliyodharai

Variety rice and one pot meals have become the order of the day. Like I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, cooking up a proper meal with Kootan and curry has become only a weekend affair.  Back in India too, I used to often prepare variety rice as it is one thing my daughter and husband take in their lunch box without any complaints. My daughter likes all Lemon rice and Puliyodharai the most. Actually she likes anything that's a little tangy and I'm the opposite. My favorite is the coconut rice, but I still don't understand why I haven't posted most of my favorite recipes.

Anyways, coming to today's recipe, Puliyumchadam, yes, that's how we call it at home. I have shared my mother's way of making it. My mom makes really good puliyumchadam. Everytime we had a long train journey amma would prepare this and curd rice for us to eat in the train.

Pair this rice with some potato curry and papads and you have a delicious meal ready.

Serves - 4

What you’ll need

1. Rice – 1.5 cups
2. Tamarind – a lemon sized ball
3. Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
4. Jaggery – 1 tbsp
5. Asafoetida Powder – ¼ tsp
6. Salt to taste

For tempering

1. Sesame Oil/Nalla Ennai – 4 to 5 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
3. Channa Dal – 1 tsp
4. Peanuts – 2 fistfull
5. Dried Red Chilly - 1
6. Curry Leaves – 10 to 15 leaves

For the Spice Powder

1. Coriander Seeds – 3 tbsp
2. Channa Dal – 2 tbsp
3. Dried Red Chillies – 4 to 5
4. Fenugreek Seeds – ½ tsp
5. Sesame Seeds – 1 tbsp

Method

1. Wash the rice and cook with salt and a spoon of oil in such a way that the grains are separate. Make sure the rice is not mushy.
2. Spread the rice in a wide plate and let it cool. Drizzle a spoon of oil over it.
3. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes. Extract tamarind juice by adding 1 cup of water. Don’t add too much water while taking the extract. The extract should be little thick.
4. Add the tamarind extract to a saucepan, add salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida and jaggery. Let this simmer on medium heat for 10 10 to 15 minutes or till the extract becomes thick.
5. For the spice powder, Heat a small frying pan, add the channa dal and dry roast, when it is half done, add the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and dried red chillies. Roast till the dal is nice and red. Remove and cool.
6. In the same pan, add the sesame seeds and fry till they change color or till they start popping.
7. Cool and grind to a powder.
8. In the same pan or in a small kadai, add the oil, temper with mustard seeds, Channa dal, peanuts, red chillies and curry leaves.
9. Add this tempering to the rice, also add the tamarind paste and salt and mix well. Finally add the spice powder. You may not need the entire spice powder, add 2 or 3 tbsp, do a taste check and add more if required.

Let his stand for a minimum of one hour before serving.

Note:

You can do the tempering and then add the tamarind extract in it and proceed.  But I follow the above method only.

You can store the prepared pulikachal for about 10 days in the refrigerator.

Adjust the spice levels according to your taste.

Other posts you may like

Lemon Rice

Ellu Sadam