Puli Sadham Recipe

Puli Rice (Puli Sadham, Tamarand Rice)-is rice that has been infused in a tamarind sauce- made with cumin, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies and onions simmered in Ghee. Amma usually made Puli Rice for lunch or if she had extra rice left over from the day before. Since Puli Rice is often made with precooked rice it is a great way to give new life to left over rice. Tamarind has a sour taste-though it is an acquired taste-it is best used in a small dose when making Puli Sadham. 

This recipe serves 3-4 people
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes


Ingredients

• 2 cups precooked rice
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• Half onion chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon jeera seeds (cumin)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon  methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 2 dried chillies (or desired limit)
• Half teaspoon turmeric powder
• Half teaspoon masala
• Curry leaves
• 2 Ground Garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon concentrated tamarind paste or 2 tablespoons whole tamarind soaked in half cup of water
• Salt
• 1 cup water

Method:

1. Roast the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Roasting the spices helps bring out the flavour of the spice-it also makes grinding them easier too.You can use them whole or powder them. Amma often used whole jeera, I prefer to powder them the old fashioned way using a mortar and pestle-a coffee grinder works just as well.

2. Heat a pan on medium heat. Add the ghee then onions. Simmer until the onions are soft and slightly brown .
3. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Add the dried chillies and garlic. Mix.

3. Add the turmeric powder  and masala. Mix.  Allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Add the tamarind.Add the water.Add salt. Stir then allow to simmer for 10 minutes until the tamarind forms a thick gravy.

NOTE: For this recipe I have used concentrated tamarind paste. If you are using block tamarind the soak the tamarind in warm water. Remove the seeds and mix until the tamarind is partly dissolved in the water.
5. Add the precooked rice. Mix the rice until combined with the sauce.
6. Serve warm with your favourite  vegetable curry and carrot salad.