Cooked Rice - 4 cups , we can use ponni rice, Basmathi or Raw rice.
Sesame seeds ( black til, Ellu) - 4 tbsp
Gingelly Oil (Nallena) - 4 tbsp
Channa Dal / kadala paruppu- 3 tbsp
Urad dal / uzhunnum paruppu - 2 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies - 4 nos
Fenugreek Seeds(Venthyam, uluva) - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 1/2 glass
Cashew nuts - 1 tsp
Raisins - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Full dry red chilly - 3 nos
Garlic Pods - 4 nos
Powdered jaggery - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
Hing (Perungayam) - 1 tsp
Tamarind pulp - 1 glass ( Taken from 2 lemon size balls , soaked and strained from 1 glass water )
Salt - to taste
Method:
Cook rice in such a way that the grains are separate. For Ponni rice use can use 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice. Leave it to cool.
Dry roast black sesame seeds and coasely gring in a mixer and keep aside.
Add 1/2 cup water to tamarind, let it soak for 15mins. Now squeeze out thick tamarind pulp and keep aside.
Heat gingelly oil in a kadai on medium low heat and add the peanuts. Roast until slightly browned. Remove them to a plate and again roast channa dal, urad dal, cashew nut and raisins. Toast until they are browned evenly. Keep them aside in a plate.
In the same kadai, Add some more gingelly oil and splutter Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Dry Red chilly, crushed Garlic pods and curry leaves. Add the tamarind extract and allow it to boil for 10 - 15 mins. While boiling add turmeric powder, salt and red chilly powder. Check and add salt.
Add jaggery and asofoetida Powder and mix well. Boil the tamarind till it thickens (saucy consistency).Remove from flame. This tamarind paste or pulikachal can be stored in a bottle and refrigerated for a week. Mix it with rice when needed. Do not reduce oil if you are planning to store.
Take the cooked rice and mix well with this tamarind paste without mushing up the rice. Add salt if required. Also add the roasted peanuts, channa dal, urad dal, nuts and raisins also. keep a portion of this roasted dals and nuts for garnishing.
Now add the roasted and ground black sesame seeds / ellu / til powder and give a quick stir. Keep covered and allow it to rest atleast for 30mins before you serve. Garnish with the roasted cashew, raisins and nuts.
Recipe Courtesy: Kavitha's Cheriamma
