Puliyodharai (Tamarind rice)

Recipe Instructions COOK the rice with salt to taste, until just done and cool. Soak tamarind in 200 ml. water and extract the pulp. Roast urad dal, chana dal and red chiles separately and grind to a coarse powder. Heat oil. Add asafetida, mustard seeds, peppercorns, turmeric powder, green chiles, ginger and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds crackle, add tamarind pulp, powdered masala and salt to taste. Cook until all the water evaporates and the mixture thickens. Add the tamarind masala to the rice and mix well until the rice is well coated with the masala. Cover and serve hot. Garnish the rice with fried cashew nuts or groundnuts.