I have fond memories of eating tamarind rice in temples when I was a little girl. It’s my all-time favourite dish – simple, spicy and delicious! This is the perfect recipe to rekindle that childhood memory and spark some joy.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rice (preferably a medium-sized grain – do not use Basmati)
- 1/4 Cup Tamarind Paste
- 2 Tbsp Channa Daal
- 2 Tbsp Urad Dal
- 2 Tbsp Peanuts
- 2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 6 Dried Red Chillies
- 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 Tsp Jeera Seeds (cumin)
- A Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
- 1 Tsp Chilli Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 3 Stalks Curry Leaves
- Salt to Taste
Preparation
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
- Wash a cup rice three times until the water runs clear and pressure cook with 2 cups of water for 3 whistles. Alternatively, you can steam it for 20 minutes until al dente. Do not cook the rice fully or you will end up with mushy rice.
- Once the rice is cooked, transfer immediately to a bigger vessel and let cool completely.
- Grind the channa dal, urad dal, peanuts, coriander seeds and 3 red chillies to a coarse powder. Set aside.
- In a pan add oil, mustard seeds, cumin, hing and let splutter.
- Add the curry leaves and remainder of 3 red chillies. Let crisp up for about 10 seconds. Keep the flame medium to avoid the risk of burning.
- Add the ¼ cup tamarind paste with ¼ cup water and let simmer for 10 minutes. This is to remove any raw tamarind flavour.
- Add red chilli powder, salt and the coarse dal powder made earlier. Cook the mixture completely until the oil starts to separate.
- Turn off the heat and add the completely cooled rice in batches, mixing slowly to avoid clumping.
- Mix well until each grain is coated. Cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. This ensures the flavour penetrates the rice and makes for a more flavourful dish.
