Pulikachal is a thick paste made of tamarind and other spices. This is one of the very popular ready mix in South India. Generally we mix pulikachal with rice and sometimes use it as a pickle for curd rice ;-) sometimes like a chutney for dosa. My mom was working so whenever she find time she used to make and keep pulikachal. Me, my brother and sister can even eat this for a whole week and we just no need anytihng :-) My mom makes potato fry and it's just a best combo and my grandma make paruppu thogayal which is an another awesome combo which we used to eat in our childhood. We can make this mix and store it for 5 to 6 days. During festivals like Kanum pongal and aadi perukku this is one of the main dish. On the 2nd day of Navrathri we offer this tamarind rice to Goddess Durga. It is one of the scrumptious South Indian recipe which has nice tangy-spicy taste to it. This is an authentic tamarind rice / pulikachal recipe which my mom makes.
INGREDIENTS:
Tamarind - 1 Lemon sized ball
Water - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Jaggery powder - 1 small tsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
To temper:
Cooking oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dhal - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 break into pieces
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves - 2 strings
To roast and powder:
Red chillies - 7 to 8 ( for less spicy reduce the count)
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
HOW TO MAKE:
Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 30 mins. Extract the juice and remove the impurities.
In a pan or kadai dry roast the red chillies and fenugreek seeds separately until it turn into golden brown. Do not burnt. Allow to cool down.
In a blender / mixie make a powder of roasted red chillies and fenugreek seeds together. Cover it and keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai splutter mustard seeds, add urad dhal, channa dhal and red chillies. Saute for a min and then add peanuts. Fry all ingredients together until it turn into golden brown. Do not burnt. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.
Add extracted tamarind juice and allow to boil. When it starts boiling add salt and jaggery. It will start thickening and soon it will form a thick gravy kind off.
Add roasted powder and mix well. Blend well and cook 5 more minutes in a medium flame. Add sesame oil on the top.
Soon it will leave the oil separately and that time turn off the stove.
Allow to cool down and store it in a clean and dry airtight container. Keep it in a fridge and it will last 5 to 6 days.
Cook rice and allow to cool down. Sprinkle needed salt on the rice. Take tamarind mix little by little and gently mix with the rice.
TIPS:
Do not add more water. Adding more water to take long time to get thickening.
Adding jaggery is an optional.
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