Relying on the place in South India it comes from, tamarind rice is thought variously as puliyogare, pulihora, puliyodarai, or puli sadam. Though its registers could shift—fewer components, fluctuating portions of spice, the addition or subtraction of cashews and coconut—the paste is historically constructed on tamarind, crimson chile, mustard, coriander, curry leaves, and dal. Most Indian properties use block tamarind paste that also has the pulp and must be soaked, however tamarind focus may additionally be substituted. Medium-grain rice, akin to sona masoori, is most popular right here, both freshly cooked and even leftover from a earlier meal.
This model is from Mumbai-based author Meher Mirza, who tailored her personal recipe from one she discovered from a pal; the addition of jaggery is completely non-obligatory. The chana dal and the urad dal carry physique to the paste, and a heat, savory crunch to the rice when it’s stubbled by the tempered spices. Discover these components at your native Indian market, or organize them on-line from Kalustyan’s.
Featured in: “From Chutney to Curries, Tamarind Has Been Enlivening Indian Dishes For Millennia.”
Tamarind Rice
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
