Tamarind Rice Recipe | Saveur

A high-quality stability of bitter, candy, savory, and spice make this conventional Indian dish shine.

Yield: serves 4

Time:

20 minutes

For the rice:

• 1½ cups medium-grain rice
• 1 tbsp. canola or different impartial oil

For the tamarind water:

• ½ cups block tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp. jaggery or brown sugar (non-obligatory)

For the spice paste:

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• ½ cups entire cashews
• 1 tbsp. urad dal
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp. entire black peppercorn
• 3 Byadgi chiles
• ¼ tsp. asafoetida powder
• Kosher salt

For the tempered spices:

• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
• ¼ cups uncooked peanuts
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tsp. chana dal
• 5 Byadgi chiles
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

Directions

1. Place the rice in a high-quality mesh strainer and rinse beneath chilly water till the water runs clear. Drain nicely, then switch the rice to a medium bowl, cowl with contemporary water and soak for at the least half-hour and as much as 2 hours.
2. Fill a medium pot midway with water, add the canola oil, and convey to a boil over medium-high warmth. Drain the rice (discarding the soaking liquid), then switch to the boiling water and cook dinner till simply tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the rice once more, then unfold the grains out onto a big rimmed baking sheet to chill to room temperature.
3. To a small bowl, add the tamarind, jaggery, and ¾ cup boiling water, ensuring the tamarind is submerged. Put aside to soak till the pulp has softened, round half-hour. Set a high-quality mesh strainer over a second small bowl and cross the softened tamarind combination and all of its soaking liquid by means of it. Discard any solids that stay, then set the tamarind liquid apart.
4. In the meantime, make the spice combine. To a medium pot over medium warmth, add the sesame oil; when the oil simply begins to shimmer, add the cashews and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till toasted and golden, 2–3 minutes. Switch to a blender or a small meals processor, then, to the identical pot, add the urad dal and chana dal and cook dinner, stirring repeatedly, till toasted and aromatic, about 1 minute. Switch the dals to the blender. To the identical pot, one after the other, add the spices and toast till aromatic, transferring every to the blender as they’re completed: coriander (about 30 seconds), black mustard seed (about 1 minute), cumin (about 30 seconds), fenugreek (about 30 seconds), black peppercorn (about 1 minute) and chiles (about 30 seconds). Add the asafoetida powder to the blender, then course of to a unfastened paste, including 1–1½ cups of water as wanted to succeed in the specified consistency. Set the paste apart.
5. To the identical pot over medium-low warmth, add the reserved tamarind liquid and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till the combination turns darker in coloration and thickens barely, about 5 minutes. Stir within the reserved spice paste, and convey to a simmer, stirring incessantly till the combination reduces to a moist paste, about 5 minutes. Season to style with salt, then one cup at a time, start gently folding within the reserved rice, taking care to evenly distribute the tamarind-spice paste with out breaking the grains. Switch to a big platter and preserve heat.
6. Mood the spices: To a small skillet over medium warmth, add the sesame oil; when it shimmers, add the mustard seeds and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till they start sputtering, about 1½ minutes. Add the peanuts and dal and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till golden, about 1½ minutes extra. Add the chiles and curry leaves and proceed cooking till the leaves are crisp and shiny, about 30 seconds. Spoon the tempered combination over the tamarind rice and serve heat.