Tamarind Rice

Its a very popular authentic, traditional South Indian recipe! Here I am giving you a quick recipe..easy to make and fun to eat!!

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Servings: Up to 4 people

Ingredients:
Cooked Rice - 2 to 3 cups
Tamarind - 1/2 cup

Dried red chili - 2 to 3

Green Chili - 3 to 4
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds (rai/ sarson) - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Chana dal (split Bengal Gram) - 1 1/2 tspSalt - as per taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
chopped Coriander (Dhania) - 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves (Kadi patta) - 6 to 8

Method of Preparation: 

1) Cook the rice in a pressure cooker.

2)Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for at least 30 mins

2) Take it in a food processor or grinder with all of its water and grind it till it becomes a thick paste.

3) Strain through the strainer to discard any lumps. If its too thick for your strainer, add a little water in it, give it a whirl in a grinder and strain again.

4) Add 2 1/2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick cooking vessel. When the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When mustard seeds crackle, add chana dal, sesame seeds, red chilies, green chilies, curry leaves, peanuts, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and fry all this masala very well for few seconds. Then add chopped coriander, tamarind paste and salt. 

5) Keep the heat on low and let it cook. (Its done when the raw smell of tamarind is gone, the oil oozes out on the surface and you get thick paste like consistency)

6) Meanwhile cool the rice in a plate. add 1/2 tbsp of oil, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder in it and mix it well (I prefer to mix it with my hand)

7) Add the cooked tamarind paste in the rice and mix it again.

Serve Hot!

Tips: 

1. Use seedless tamarind to make life easier.

2. Add coriander in the tempering as mentioned above to create a magical flavor!!

3. Instead of Tamarind you can always use ready to eat tamarind paste and follow the same method to save some time