By Rajlakshmi
November 2, 2025
A variation of the well-known South Indian puliyodharai, without adding a lot of spices is tamarind rice is a really simple dish to cook. The flavours are tangy and have a mild kick to them. This recipe is quick and easy to follow.
1 large ball of tamarind 2 tablespoons of sesame oil ½ teaspoon of black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon of chana dal 1 tablespoon of raw peanuts, unsalted 4-6 curry leaves 4-5 dried red chillies 2 large onions, chopped ¼ of asafetida 4 cups of rice, cooked Salt to taste
Take a bowl. Pour in ¾ cups of water. Soak the tamarind in the water for 20-30 minutes.
Extract the juice. Remove all seeds. Strain it to remove pulp.
Take a pan. Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, peanuts and chana dal. Let the seeds splutter while the peanuts and dal cook.
Add the red chillies, onions, asafetida, and curry leaves into the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent.
Pour in the tamarind extract. Bring it to a boil. Add salt to taste. Let it cook until the sauce thickens.
Add cooked rice to the tamarind sauce. Turn the heat to medium. Gently stir until the rice is covered in the sauce.
Serve tamarind rice with papad or curd.