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    Home » Recipes » Spice Mix

    Pulikachal | Puliyodharai | Tamarind Rice

    Published: Apr 18, 2018 · by Nisha

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pulikachal is a spice mix or paste made with tamarind extract. Spiced up with chillies and topped with loads of peanuts. A perfect stimulant when you need something spicy salty and sour. This spice mix is mixed with rice and it becomes puliyodharai. Suitable for lunch box, long journeys & picnic box.

    Pulikachal displayed on a stainless steel tiffin box.

    Pulikachal

    The term pulikachal (in Tamil, puli - tamarind & kachal in this context is boiling vigorously) means reducing the tamarind extract. It is reduced until it becomes a thick paste and is seasoned with aromatic spices in sesame oil. It is spicy, tangy and mouth puckering when you taste it.

    This spice mix can be stored for months and whenever you need a quick meal, mix pulikachal with rice and puliyodharai, tamarind rice is ready in no time.

    Pulikachal displayed on a white ceramic bowl with a plate of rice behind.

    Tips for making Pulikachal (the spice paste)

    1. Tanginess of the tamarind vary a lot with each variety and brand. It is said that the old ones are more tangy and tastier than the new ones. Just like wine, aging and quality is important for tamarind as well.
    2. It is difficult to measure tamarind pulp. The recipe below is 1 cup tightly packed tamarind which weighs about grams.
    3. The end product is tangy, spicy and salty. So when you mix with the rice, it evens and balances the taste.
    4. If the pulikachal mix is more tangy and less spicy, roast some more red chillies in little oil and add them to it. If its less tangy, increase the amount of pulikachal mix when mixing it in rice. Add a tablespoon or 2 more. Adjust it as per your taste preference.
    5. Let the pulikachal mix rest as the flavour has to be absorbed. Try to avoid using it immediately (I know how difficult that is!).
    6. Use oil generously and use only sesame oil. In order to store it for a long time, oil acts as a preservative and prevents the mix from getting dried. Hence it is important to use more oil while making pulikachal.
    7. The amount of dry spice powder will be more than what is required for the mix. Store the remaining powder in an air tight container and use it every time you make the tamarind rice.
    8. Always use a clean spoon to take the pulikachal mix and make sure it is moisture free.
    9. Store this in the refrigerator if you are in a hot and humid place. This extends the shelf life of pulikachal.

    Puliyodharai, rice mixed with pulikachal | Tamarind rice displayed on a bowl in top down shot.

    Tips for making Puliyodharai (tamarind rice)

    1. Cool the rice completely and drizzle drops of sesame oil on the rice. Then mix the pulikachal paste. This prevents the rice from becoming sticky and the grains stay separate.
    2. While mixing, be gentle. Else, the rice grains will break and it will be mashed.
    3. Do not use basmati rice for preparing any kind of south Indian variety rice. We normally use the short grain rice variety - the raw rice variety and not the par boiled ones. Sona masoori is common and is available in all Indian stores.
    4. Also, add the ground spice mix whenever you prepare puliyodharai. The spice mix that you kept aside while making the pulikachal.
    5. After mixing the rice let it rest for sometime so that the flavours are absorbed completely.
    6. You can also add salt while cooking the white rice. This gives a wonderful taste to the prepared rice dish.
    7. If you find that the rice is too spicy, add some more sesame oil. It helps in bringing down the spice level.

    How to serve Puliyodharai

    Since this is a spicy rice balance it with mild side dishes. Curd / yogurt based side dishes pair well with this rice viz., avial, mor kootu and mor keerai. We also serve puliyodharai with papads and Indian type fryums.

    Step by step process shots for making Pulikachal

    1. Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for about 10 minutes or until the pulp softens. Extract the tamarind with water; strain and keep aside.
    2. Dry roast the ingredients one by one until they turn golden brown (refer to the third pic below) . Cool and grind this to a fine powder. This quantity is more than what you need for the paste. Store the excess spice mix in an airtight container and you will need this every time you make the puliyodharai rice.
    3. Each spice has a different roasting time. The pan should be really hot when you add the ingredients and you should constantly stir it. Channa dal and coriander seeds take about 5 to 6 minutes to start browning. Black peppercorns in 2 to 3 minutes. Sesame seeds and fenugreek seeds will brown quickly. So, 30 secs or so is enough. Peanuts will take about 10 minutes.
    process shot of pulikachal mix - tamarind
    process shot of pulikachal mix - soaked tamarind in water
    process shot of pulikachal mix - roasted spices
    • Temper the spices in sesame oil (refer tempering here) and pour the tamarind extract and let it boil.
    process shot of pulikachal mix tempering spices
    process shot of pulikachal mix boiling
    • After it starts thickening, add some more oil, the ground spice mix and mix well. As soon as it comes as a mass, turn off the flame.
    process shot of pulikachal mix
    process shot of pulikachal mix

    Recipe in detail below.

    Puliyodharai, rice mixed with pulikachal | Tamarind rice displayed on a bowl in top down shot.
    Print
    PULIKACHAL | PULIYOGARE | PULIYODHARAI
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    45 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr
     

    Pulikachal - Tamarind mix spiced up with chillies and peanuts. A perfect stimulant when you need something spicy salty and sour.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
    Author: Nisha
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup tightly packed tamarind (from a tamarind block)
    To roast and grind (pulikachal spice mix)
    • 4 tablespoon channa dal
    • 6 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 3 teaspoon peppercorns
    • 20 dry red chillies refer notes
    • 6 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • ¾ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
    For making pulikachal
    • ¾ cup sesame oil, divided
    • 1 cup peanuts
    • 2 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon asafoetida
    • 20 curry leaves
    For the rice - Puliyodharai
    • 1 cup Cooked Rice
    • 3 to 4 tablespoon pulikachal ground mixture
    • 1 teaspoon ground spice mix
    Instructions
    1. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes or more if the tamarind is not softened. Extract the concentrate to get approximately 8 cups water. Use a strainer to sieve. Keep it aside. 

    2. Heat a pan over medium heat and dry roast the ingredients one by one mentioned under to roast and grind.  Keep it aside and allow it to cool. Then grind it to a fine powder (2)

    3. Roast the peanuts with skin. Keep aside. 

    4. Heat ½ cup oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once it is smoking hot, add the mustard seeds and as soon as they start crackling, add turmeric powder, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the roasted peanuts as well. 

      Then add the tamarind extract and allow it to boil. If the oil is too hot, it might splatter over. Be careful and use a oil guard while pouring.

    5. Let the mixture start boiling. It will take about 10 minutes to start boiling. Stir it in intervals. 

      In about 20 to 25 minutes the mixture would have reduced to half. Keep stirring. In 10 more minutes, it will start to bubble vigorously. 

      Once the mixture is thickened and is in a semifluid state, add 1 cup of the ground pulikachal spice mixture and the remaining oil. Mix well. 

      Store the  remaining ground powder in an airtight container for later use.

    6. Keep stirring the concoction and once it starts thickening (it will come off the pan as one mass) turn off the stove. 

      Do not allow it to thicken completely. Remove it when it is in a semi solid state. It will thicken more as it cools.

    For the Rice
    1. Cook the rice. Drizzle some sesame oil over and allow it to cool. Once it is cooled, add 3 tablespoon pulikachal and 2 teaspoon ground powder for 1 cup of rice, and mix well. Season it with salt. 

    Recipe Notes

    Each spice has a different roasting time. The pan should be really hot when you add the ingredients and you should constantly stir it. Channa dal and coriander seeds take about 5 to 6 minutes to start browning. Black peppercorns in 2 to 3 minutes. Sesame seeds and fenugreek seeds will brown quickly. So, 30 secs or so is enough. Peanuts will take about 10 minutes.

    Tips for making Pulikachal (the spice paste)

    1. Tanginess of the tamarind vary a lot with each variety and brand. It is said that the old ones are more tangy and tastier than the new ones. Just like wine, aging and quality is important for tamarind as well.
    2. It is difficult to measure tamarind pulp. The recipe below is 1 cup tightly packed tamarind which weighs about grams.
    3. The end product is tangy, spicy and salty. So when you mix with the rice, it evens and balances the taste.
    4. If the pulikachal mix is more tangy and less spicy, roast some more red chillies in little oil and add them to it. If its less tangy, increase the amount of pulikachal mix when mixing it in rice. Add a tablespoon or 2 more. Adjust it as per your taste preference.
    5. Let the pulikachal mix rest as the flavour has to be absorbed. Try to avoid using it immediately (I know how difficult that is!).
    6. Use oil generously and use only sesame oil. In order to store it for a long time, oil acts as a preservative and prevents the mix from getting dried. Hence it is important to use more oil while making pulikachal.
    7. Always use a clean spoon to take the pulikachal mix and make sure it is moisture free.
    8. Store this in the refrigerator if you are in a hot and humid place. This extends the shelf life of pulikachal.
    9. The amount of dry spice powder will be more than what is required for the mix. Store the remaining powder in an air tight container and use it every time you make the tamarind rice.

    Tips for making Puliyodharai (tamarind rice)

    1. Cool the rice completely and drizzle drops of sesame oil on the rice. Then mix the pulikachal paste. This prevents the rice from becoming sticky and the grains stay separate.
    2. While mixing, be gentle. Else, the rice grains will break and it will be mashed.
    3. Do not use basmati rice for preparing any kind of south Indian variety rice. We normally use the short grain rice variety - the raw rice variety and not the par boiled ones. Sona masoori is common and is available in all Indian stores.
    4. Also, add the ground spice mix whenever you prepare puliyodharai. The spice mix that you kept aside while making the pulikachal.
    5. After mixing the rice let it rest for sometime so that the flavours are absorbed completely.
    6. You can also add salt while cooking the white rice. This gives a wonderful taste to the prepared rice dish.
    7. If you find that the rice is too spicy, add some more sesame oil. It helps in bringing down the spice level.

    How to serve Puliyodharai

    Since this is a spicy rice balance it with mild side dishes. Curd / yogurt based side dishes pair well with this rice viz., avial, mor kootu and mor keerai. We also serve puliyodharai with papads and Indian type fryums.

    View other "Spice Mix" recipes

    • Rasam Powder | Rasam Podi
    • Milagai Podi - side dish for Idli & Dosa
    • Murungai Keerai Recipes (Moringa)
    • Homemade Kesar Badam Mix | Homemade Almond Saffron Mix

    Did you try this recipe ?

    Then share your experience (and photo) with us on Facebook or Instagram or email us or leave a comment below. We look forward to hearing from you!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Foodiliciousnan says

      April 03, 2013 at 7:32 pm

      I love it that you've chosen to write about this festival. Trichy, specifically Srirangam, is my hometown too and I have lovely memories of playing at the Ammamandapam river bank. The step by step pics too are so wekk shot. Beautifully written and presented

      Reply
    2. The Pumpkin Farm says

      April 03, 2013 at 4:35 pm

      looks super mouthwatering, i love this rice

      Reply
    3. Pavani N says

      April 03, 2013 at 1:59 am

      Perfectly made pulihora. We don't add the spice powders in pulihora, but your version sounds delicious. Bookmarking this recipe and will try out soon.

      Reply
    4. Manju says

      April 02, 2013 at 8:35 pm

      Well explained about adai perukku, your puliyogare is inviting.

      Reply
    5. Rajani S says

      April 02, 2013 at 5:38 pm

      Nice to know about the river water ritual. I hadnt heard about it before. Pulikachil looks great!

      Reply
    6. Pallavi Purani says

      April 02, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Oh tamrind rice. <3 All regions have different ways to welcome to rain gods. Loved to read about this version.

      Reply
    7. Preeti Garg says

      April 02, 2013 at 3:19 pm

      Awesome rice variation...

      Reply
    8. Nalini's Kitchen says

      April 02, 2013 at 2:23 pm

      nice and tangy rice,love to have it anytime...

      Reply
    9. veena krishnakumar says

      April 02, 2013 at 12:57 pm

      Drooling here. My family loves Puliyogare and you are tempting me now:-)

      Reply
    10. Srivalli says

      April 02, 2013 at 7:52 am

      Nisha, that's really such a lovely account of this day..never really went into specific festivals apart from the major ones..:)..love pulihora anytime..The picture presentation is very well done!

      Reply
    11. Padmajha PJ says

      April 02, 2013 at 7:31 am

      I have heard about Aadiperukku. And this rice looks so flavorful. The first click is awesome.

      Reply
    12. Gayathri Kumar says

      April 02, 2013 at 6:01 am

      Nice tangy puliodharai. Looks absolutely divine...

      Reply
    13. Savitha Ganesan says

      April 02, 2013 at 5:05 am

      My fav rice.Love to have it anytime.

      Reply
    14. Saras says

      April 02, 2013 at 5:00 am

      All time favourite rice and love your pictorial dear..

      Reply
    15. vaishali sabnani says

      April 02, 2013 at 12:12 am

      I am so glad that Valli decided on these themes, We get to know so much about different cultures..and the rice looks really good..lovely way to celebrate..book marked the recipes.

      Reply
    16. Priya Suresh says

      April 01, 2013 at 9:40 pm

      Seriously feel like inviting myself to ur place, can survive for many days with this rice.

      Reply
    17. Suma Gandlur says

      April 01, 2013 at 8:25 pm

      Loved to read about the festival in your parts. And puliyogare is like the mother of all rice dishes. nothing can beat it.

      Reply
    18. Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi says

      April 01, 2013 at 8:20 pm

      Awesome pictures..The addition of coriander seeds definitely adds more flavor!

      Reply
    19. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      April 01, 2013 at 8:17 pm

      Pulikachal is a must have for those busty days and yours look yummy 🙂

      Reply

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    Nisha freelances as a food & product photographer/recipe developer & content creator in the F&B space.

    She loves everything about food and their stories! You can find her mostly in the kitchen trying to whip up something or reading culinary anecdotes.

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