Easy & quick Tamarind Rice - Puli Sadam recipe with step by step pictures. Instant Puli Sadam recipe made with Pulikachal.

Last week I shared the recipe of my mother-in-law’s Pulikachal. Today, I am sharing this super simple Puli Sadam recipe made with instant tamarind rice mix. Every month I prepare a batch of pulikachal and keep it stored in the fridge. It is my secret weapon for days I am pressed for time or when I am craving for some comfort food. When I say it takes literally ten mins to put this together, I really mean it. Growing up, whenever we had leftover rice amma used to make her Tomato Rice and 99% of the times, she never used to feed it to me since it is made with leftover rice. I used to plead with amma to give me some and she would reluctantly feed me one or two bites. The next day, she used to make fresh rice and make a batch of tomato rice, just for me. Wondering why am I sharing this story now?

Leftover rice works wonderfully well when you have to make Kalanda Sadam mixed/variety rice recipes or fried rice recipes. The most basic thing to keep in my mind when making Puli Sadam or any other variety rice recipe is that the rice should be cooked and cooled down completely. Most of the times when I am making Tamarind Rice or Lemon Rice, I don’t have left over rice. I usually cook fresh for every meal and what I usually do in that scenario is make my rice well in advance. I cook the rice regularly in my pressure cooker and I reduce the water by ¼ cup than my regular measure. Once the pressure is dropped, I invert the rice (without mixing with a spoon/fork) onto a large plate or bowl and drizzle 1-2 teaspoon of oil on top. This helps remove the stickiness from rice. I let the rice cool down completely under the fan (especially if pressed for time) and it works out well.

To make easy Puli Sadam or Puliyodharai, I take 2-3 tablespoon of my prepared pulikachal and refresh it with some fresh puliyodharai tempering. For me puli sadam or pulihora is incomplete without roasted peanuts. I make a fresh tempering with mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal along with peanuts. I also add halved green chillies and fresh curry leaves. And the most important magical ingredient – asafoetida. I don’t usually add salt or turmeric powder to the rice while cooking and choose to add as necessary during the mixing time. It is completely optional and can also be directly added to the rice while cooking. All it requires is to mix the tempering and pulikachal with the rice and let it soak up in the beautiful flavors before serving. Have you ever tasted Pulihora or Puliyodharai that has rested for few hours? Try it next time, you will be in food heaven.

How to make Puli Sadam | Tamarind Rice –

Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Puli Sadam | Tamarind Rice –

In a small fry pan heat 1 tablespoon gingelly oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal. Next add 1 tablespoon peanuts.

As the peanuts and dals are fried to a golden brown, add 1-2 slit green chillies, ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and a few fresh curry leaves.

As the green chillies and curry leaves are fried, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Switch off the heat.

Add this tempering to the cooked, cooled down rice.

Next add 2-3 tablespoon Pulikachal (adjust as per tanginess preferred) and also add salt as needed. Ideally if the pulikachal is salted properly, you can skip salt here.

Mix everything well together until the pulikachal and rice are mixed well. It should be shiny when properly done.

Let it rest for half an hour to a few hours before serving. I usually served it with either potato fry or raw banana fry or colocassia fry and papad.

Note –

Adjust salt and green chillies as per preference.
I don’t usually heat my pulikachal, but you can add it to the tempering and give it a quick stir before adding to the rice.
My grandma always preferred mixing tamarind rice with bare hands, imparts a special taste to it and no, it doesn’t spoil easily.

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