Puliyogare

Ingredients

• - 2 cups rice
• - 400g tamarind rice Karnataka
• - 2 onions
• - Spices as required
• - 3 tbsp ghee or oil
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Cook and cool rice: Cook 2 cups raw rice for separate grains. Cool completely.
2. Make tamarind paste: Soak a lemon-sized tamarind in half cup warm water 15 minutes. Extract and strain.
3. Cook tamarind to thick paste: Cook tamarind pulp on medium heat 8-10 minutes until very thick and jam-like.
4. Make puliyogare masala: Dry roast and grind 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 4 dried red chillies, 2 tbsp chana dal, 1 tsp sesame seeds and half tsp peppercorns to a coarse powder.
5. Make tempering: Heat 4 tbsp sesame oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 1 tbsp chana dal and 1 tbsp urad dal. Fry golden.
6. Add aromatics: Add 3 dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida and 3 tbsp raw peanuts. Fry 2-3 minutes.
7. Add tamarind paste: Add the thick tamarind paste and the puliyogare masala powder. Mix on low heat.
8. Add rice: Add cold cooked rice. Fold gently with a flat spatula.
9. Mix evenly: Fold until all rice is coated with the dark tamarind-masala mixture.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Karnataka puliyogare is similar to Tamil Nadu tamarind rice but uses a special dry masala powder. Serve with papad.