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    Home » Lunchbox Recipes » Quick Tamarind Rice | Homemade Instant Puliodarai

    Quick Tamarind Rice | Homemade Instant Puliodarai

    Posted on August 4, 2014 · Last Updated on September 13, 2020 · By Srividhya G · 20 Comments

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    tamarind rice in lunch box with fryums on the side with text overylay for pinterest

    Quick and easy-to-make tamarind rice recipe! Perfect travel food and a fantastic lunch box recipe. Check out how to make this tamarind rice with the homemade instant pulikaichal mix.

    easy tamarind rice in lunch box with fryums on the side

    I love making pulikaichal or the tamarind rice mix with freshly ground spices. Sometimes I make it a part of weekend meal prep. But there are times when I cannot make it. And that’s when I opt for this instant puliodarai or the pulikaichal recipe. I learned this recipe from my mom, and she often makes this version for our lunchbox. (Do check out my other lunchbox recipes as well)

    There isn’t any roast nor grinding involved. So it’s quick, and we can make it easier, and hey there is no compromise in the taste. The fenugreek powder is a significant ingredient that enhances the flavor here. You can use a store-bought one or a homemade one.

    For this recipe, I went with the homemade roasted fenugreek powder. I always keep that in hand as I add it to make instant mango pickle, sometimes to vathal kuzhambu or gojju. We love the flavor of fenugreek, and it comes in handy.

    slanting shots of tamarind rice in lunch box with a spoon the side with fryums

    Tamarind rice is not only a perfect lunch box recipe, but it is also our favorite picnic or travel food. Tamarind rice packed in banana leaf has its own flavor. We also make it during Navaratri and adiperukku. Tamarind rice stays good for up to 24 hrs without refrigerating. The tamarind rice paste or the instant pulikaichal stays suitable for up to 1 week when refrigerated.

    Speaking about tamarind rice recipes, I have one more easy one with aval or poha – puli aval. Do check it out as well. 

    How to make quick tamarind rice-

    Now let’s see how to make this tamarind rice with detailed step-wise pictures.

    Prep-Work

    Prepare the fenugreek powder-

    roasted fenugreek

    • If you are not using store-bought fenugreek powder, roast about 2 tbsps of fenugreek seeds until they turn red. That’s the critical thing. If you don’t roast until they turn red, you can feel the stickiness when mixed with the rice, and the texture won’t be right. So roast it well. Let it cool and grind it. We need 1 tsp of the fenugreek powder for this recipe. 

    Cook the rice –

    • Cook the rice in your preferred way. I cooked 1 cup of sona masoori rice variety in a pressure cooker by adding 2 cups of water. I got about 5.5 cups of rice but used only 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. 
    • Spread the rice on a plate and let it cool a bit. Add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil and mix it. 

    Prepare the instant tamarind rice paste | pulikaichal

    tamarind rice paste mix preparation

    • Heat a heavy-bottomed vessel or kadai and add 3 tbsps of gingelly oil. 
    • When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, and asafoetida. When the oil becomes frothy, add the dried red chilies and the peanuts. If the dried red chilies are big, break them into small pieces. (Gingelly oil always becomes frothy)
    • Reduce the heat to low and fry them for two minutes and then add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.  
    • Mix 2 tsps of tamarind paste with 1 cup of water and add this slowly to the tempering. You are adding water to the hot oil, so add slowly.
    • Add salt, turmeric powder, rasam powder, and jaggery. Mix well and let it simmer for atleast 
    • Let it simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat. 
    • By now, tamarind paste will thicken and now add the methi powder and mix well. Let it cook for a minute and turn off the heat. 

    That’s the puliodarai gojju mix ready. 

    Make the tamarind rice | puliodarai

    • Add the required amount of the prepare puliodarai gojju or the pulikaichal mix to the cooked and cooled down rice.

    adding tamarind rice paste to cooked rice

    • Mix well and serve it with vadagam or chips or appalam.

    mixed tamarind rice

    Recipe Notes-

    • Rasam powder is optional, but I highly recommend it. 
    • I always tried this recipe with homemade fenugreek powder. Make sure to roast it thoroughly. Also, fenugreek powder is the key ingredient that adds all the flavor. So do not skip it.
    • Adjust the dried red chilies, salt as per your preference.
    • If using tamarind pulp, a gooseberry-sized or cherry tomato sized tamarind pulp would do. Soak it in hot water for 30 minutes and extract the juice. 

    tamarind rice recipe for lunch box with a spoon and some fryums placed on a green mat

    Other lunch box recipes from my archives-

    • Black chickpeas and ivy gourd rice
    • Veg pulav
    • Bisibelebaath
    • Zucchini Rice

    PS: Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try this puli sadam recipe, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!

    tamarind rice in lunch box with fryums on the side and placed on a mat with the spoon on the side
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Quick Tamarind Rice | Homemade Instant Puliodarai

    Quick and easy-to-make tamarind rice recipe! Perfect travel food and a fantastic lunch box recipe. Check out how to make this tamarind rice with the homemade instant pulikaichal mix.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: South Indian, Tamil Nadu
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker to cook the rice
    • Saucepan or kadai

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1tbsp=15ml; 1tsp=5ml;

    • 4 tbsp gingelly oil divided
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 tsp chana dal
    • 2 tbsp peanuts
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 5 dried red chilies
    • ½ tsp asafoetida
    • ½ tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 tsps salt or to taste
    • 1 tsp fenugreek powder
    • 1 tsp jaggery powdered
    • ½ tsp rasam powder optional
    • 2 tsp tamarind paste
    • 1 cup water
    • 4 cups cooked rice sona masoori rice variety

    Instructions

    Prepare the fenugreek powder-

    • If you are not using store-bought fenugreek powder, roast about 2 tbsps of fenugreek seeds until they turn red. That's the critical thing. If you don't roast until they turn red, you can feel the stickiness when mixed with the rice, and the texture won't be right. So roast it well. Let it cool and grind it. We need 1 tsp of the fenugreek powder for this recipe.

    Cook the rice –

    • Cook the rice in your preferred way. I cooked 1 cup of sona masoori rice variety in a pressure cooker by adding 2 cups of water. I got about 5.5 cups of rice but used only 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe.
    • Spread the rice on a plate and let it cool a bit. Add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil and mix it.

    Prepare the instant tamarind rice paste | pulikaichal

    • Heat a heavy-bottomed vessel or kadai and add 3 tbsps of gingelly oil.
    • When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, and asafoetida. When the oil becomes frothy, add the dried red chilies and the peanuts. If the dried red chilies are big, break them into small pieces. (Gingelly oil always becomes frothy)
    • Reduce the heat to low and fry them for two minutes and then add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.
    • Mix 2 tsps of tamarind paste with 1 cup of water and add this slowly to the tempering. You are adding water to the hot oil, so add slowly.
    • Add salt, turmeric powder, rasam powder, and jaggery. Mix well and let it simmer for atleast
    • Let it simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
    • By now, tamarind paste will thicken and now add the methi powder and mix well. Let it cook for a minute and turn off the heat.
    • That's the puliodarai gojju mix ready.

    Make the tamarind rice | puliodarai

    • Add the required amount of the prepare puliodarai gojju or the pulikaichal mix to the cooked and cooled down rice. Mix well and serve it with vadagam or chips or appalam.

    Notes

    • Rasam powder is optional, but I highly recommend it.
    • I always tried this recipe with homemade fenugreek powder. Make sure to roast it thoroughly. Also, fenugreek powder is the key ingredient that adds all the flavor. So do not skip it.
    • Adjust the dried red chilies, salt as per your preference.
    • If using tamarind pulp, a gooseberry-sized or cherry tomato sized tamarind pulp would do. Soak it in hot water for 30 minutes and extract the juice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 786mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 487IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 3mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel

    Update Notes- Recipe updated with step-wise pics and recipe cards in 2020.

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    Filed Under: Adi Perukku, Festivals, Lunchbox Recipes, Variety Rice Tagged With: Adi perruku, Blogging Marathon

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. PJ says

      August 25, 2014 at 11:43 pm

      I love puliyodarai and I make it almost like the way you do :)

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 25, 2014 at 11:52 pm

        :-) :-)

        Reply
    2. Pavani says

      August 14, 2014 at 11:24 am

      What a yummy looking puliyogare.

      Reply
    3. Suma Gandlur says

      August 13, 2014 at 7:55 pm

      Yummy puliyogare.

      Reply
    4. Harini says

      August 10, 2014 at 6:23 pm

      Love Pulihora and this variety sounds just as delicious!

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 10, 2014 at 6:52 pm

        Thanks. It’s just the fastest way of doing. ;-)

        Reply
    5. cookingwithsapana says

      August 05, 2014 at 2:40 am

      Love tamarind rice and this instant version is syrely a keeper

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 05, 2014 at 4:29 am

        Yeah very true

        Reply
    6. Srivalli says

      August 04, 2014 at 10:45 pm

      I love puliodarai..and can have it anytime…nice intro as well…:)

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 05, 2014 at 4:30 am

        Thanks

        Reply
    7. Traditionally Modern Food says

      August 04, 2014 at 8:06 pm

      After preparing pulikaichal for Aadi 18, I too have them in draft:-) traditional and delicious:-) looks yummy

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 04, 2014 at 8:07 pm

        :-)

        Reply
    8. Priya says

      August 04, 2014 at 12:45 pm

      My mouth is just watering here, serve me this puliyodharai with pan fried potatoes, i can have even everyday.

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 04, 2014 at 12:59 pm

        :-) very true. Same with me too

        Reply
    9. Sarita says

      August 04, 2014 at 6:21 am

      I love to eat this prasadam .. Looks yummy ..

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 04, 2014 at 6:31 am

        :-)

        Reply
    10. Manjula Bharath says

      August 04, 2014 at 6:07 am

      I love puliyodhare a lot and this recipe sounds very interesting :) I wud love to finish the bowl :)

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 04, 2014 at 6:31 am

        :-)

        Reply
    11. lavina says

      August 04, 2014 at 5:17 am

      looks yummy and flavorful! new to me..will definitely try someday..

      Reply
      • srividhya says

        August 04, 2014 at 6:30 am

        Let me know how it turned out

        Reply

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