Learn how to make traditional South Indian puli sadam recipe (tamarind rice / puliyodharai) with aromatic homemade pulikachal paste. Cooked with sesame oil, roasted spice powder and crunchy dals, this flavorful temple-style rice is ideal for travel and lunch boxes.
Puli sadam / Tamarind rice / Puliyodharai is loved by all. It is one of the best lunch box recipes, ideal for travel. You can prepare this pulikachal (tamarind rice paste) in advance and store it for weeks in the fridge. With papad or vadam as a side dish, it tastes divine!
I would say my MIL makes the best puliodharai which I’ve tasted so far. Its taste is equivalent to temple puliogare (Kovil puliyodharai) but this is our home-style version. We are big fans of her tamarind rice recipe. Yesterday we made this for our trip to Tirupathi. It was very flavorful and tasty. Though there are many varieties of pulikachal recipes in this blogosphere, I wanted to share my version. I’ve tried to give the step by step pictures for beginners and bachelors. Thanks a ton to my MIL for teaching me this wonderful keeper recipe.
Please have a look at the “Points to remember” section before proceeding. I have shared some useful tips on how to make perfect tamarind rice learning from my MIL. Lets see how to make Pulikachal and Puli sadam / Tamarind rice at home following these simple steps and video.
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Tamarind Sourcing: Dark, aged tamarind (Pazham puli / seedless block tamarind available at Patel Brothers or Indian grocery stores) gives the richest deep color and balanced tanginess. If using ready-made Indian tamarind paste, mix 2 to 3 tablespoons with warm water to make a smooth extract.
- Gingelly Oil (Sesame Oil): Pure South Indian sesame oil (such as Idhayam gingelly oil) is essential for the authentic temple-style flavor and natural shelf-life preservation. Avoid substituting with toasted Asian dark sesame oil or olive oil.
- Rice Prep & Cooling: Sona Masoori or Ponni raw rice cooked so the grains stay separate and fluffy works best. Spread the hot cooked rice on a wide stainless steel tray or baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and let it cool completely before mixing with the paste.
- Storage & Resting: Pulikachal paste stays fresh for 1 week at room temperature, or up to 2 months in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight glass container. For best flavor, mix the rice and paste at least 1 to 2 hours before serving so the rice absorbs the seasoning deeply.
Puli Sadam Recipe | Traditional Tamarind Rice (Puliyodharai)
Traditional South Indian Puli Sadam (Tamarind Rice / Puliyodharai) recipe with homemade pulikachal paste, step by step photos and video.
Ingredients
For Pulikachal (Tamarind Paste Base)
- 1 lemon sized ball Tamarind (approx. 40 g / 1.4 oz)
- 2 – 3 cups Hot water (approx. 500 – 700 ml)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 sprigs Fresh curry leaves (raw)
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida / Hing
- Salt as needed (approx. 1 1/2 tsp)
- 1 tsp Powdered jaggery (vellam)
To roast and grind (Puliyogare spice powder)
- ½ tsp Methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- 1 tbsp Chana dal (Bengal gram)
- 1 – 2 nos Dry red chillies
To temper (Tadka)
- 3 tbsp Sesame oil / Gingelly oil (approx. 45 ml / 1.5 fl oz)
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 2 tbsp Chana dal
- 10 nos Dry red chillies (pinched / broken in half)
- 2 pinches Asafoetida / Hing
- 1 sprig Fresh curry leaves
- 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts (optional)
To mix tamarind rice (Puli Sadam)
- 2 – 3 cups Cooked rice (fluffed and cooled – approx. 300 – 450 g)
- 3 – 4 tbsp Homemade Pulikachal paste (as needed to taste)
- 2 – 3 tbsp Sesame oil / Gingelly oil (approx. 30 – 45 ml)
Instructions
- Soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze well and extract the thick tamarind juice, then strain through a colander to remove any fibers or seeds.
- To the extracted raw tamarind juice, add turmeric powder, salt, raw curry leaves and hing. Mix well and set aside.
- In a small pan, dry roast methi seeds on low heat until they crackle and turn golden brown. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, roast 1 tbsp chana dal and 1-2 dry red chillies until golden and aromatic. Once cooled, pulse the roasted methi seeds, chana dal and red chillies in a small mixer jar to a coarse powder.
- Heat 3 tbsp sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, pinched dry red chillies, hing and curry leaves in order. Saute on medium flame until the dals turn golden brown and crisp.
- Carefully pour in the prepared tamarind extract mixture. Allow it to boil vigorously on medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid reduces by half.
- Once the tamarind mixture has reduced to half, add the powdered jaggery and the freshly ground spice powder. As soon as you add the powder, the gravy starts to thicken with a characteristic bubbling sound (called salangai satham in Tamil). Boil for just a few seconds until it reaches a semi-solid paste consistency, then immediately switch off the flame. (Do not overboil after adding the powder). Allow the pulikachal paste to cool completely, then store in an airtight glass jar.
- To make Puli Sadam: Cook rice (raw rice or boiled rice) so that grains remain separate and fluffy (add 1 tsp oil while cooking). Spread the cooked warm rice onto a wide plate or bowl, drizzle with sesame oil, and let it cool slightly. Add the homemade pulikachal paste little by little and mix gently using a ladle until each grain is evenly coated. Check for salt and add more sesame oil if dry. Let the tamarind rice rest for at least 1 hour before serving so the grains absorb all the rich flavors. Enjoy with vadam or appalam!
Notes
- Raw curry leaves, hing and roasted methi seeds give the true traditional flavor to puli sadham, so do not compromise on these ingredients. Add raw curry leaves and hing to the tamarind extract as well as during tempering.
- My MIL sometimes reserves a tsp of the roasted powder and sprinkles it at the end over the plain rice before mixing the paste for extra aroma (optional).
- Always make the pulikachal paste at least one day in advance because the flavors mature and blend deeper over time.
- Shelf life: The paste stays good for 1 week at room temperature, or up to 1-2 months when refrigerated in an airtight glass container. Always use a clean, dry spoon.
- You can also add roasted peanuts in the end before switching off the flame if you like peanuts in your tamarind rice.
- After mixing the paste and rice, check for salt and add more sesame oil if the rice looks dry.
- Please prepare the tamarind rice at least one hour before serving so the rice has time to absorb all the flavors in the paste.
- When packing for lunch box or travel, use a ladle to mix the rice and paste—avoid using hands so the rice stays fresh longer without spoiling.
- Appalam, vadam or potato fry is the best accompaniment for puli sadham.
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That looks wonderful chitra….yummy pulisadham :)
Very detailed post! Looks so tempting :)
Nice post in detail and is very helpful.
Yummy puli kachal…whenever my mom visits me, will ask her to do this….. love this…yummy.
The last click is awesome….so tempting..thanks for sharing.
such a well thought and written post. very very useful. the last click is mouth watering.
Looks very very delicious.. i love this dish
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i love it…too good..
Simple ans satisfying travel recipe to me…looks delectable..
Well explained post..looks flavourful and yummy
love love love this tany n flavourful rice,well explained!!
Very well explained and looks very tempting
Love the step by step pics..clicks are awesome..mouthwatering here.
Awesome post with such detailed instructions..
Lovely recipe.Especially the video. I can imagine how it would have been to take pictures and videos in between cooking..Good one :)
Pulikaichal looks fantastic. Love the video too.
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superb recipe…looks more tempting…well explained too!!
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awesome tamarind rice… would love some! Have to try it…
My favorite rice- looks cool ur step by step pictures!
very delicious rice…looks superb n yumm
wonderful post with well explained steps…the tamarind rice looks delicious…thanks for the recipe :-)
Omg! I'm craving for your puli rice now..informative steps ;)
Wow..i cant resist to c the picture..Yummy puliyotharai..well explained too
Oh my god..such a mouthwatering pulihora..it looks just awesome…vl try 4 sure….
Maha
I got to save this recipe. What mouth watering pics :)
Vow.Love the pics and the presentation. Explanation is exhaustive. The salangai oli is so pleasant to hear.With such details really "any one can cook". It reminds the song from Minsara Kanavu-the sentence " Pasi Konda velai Thalikkum osai santhosha sangeetham". Your video is an appetizer.
Thanks a lot friends for ur lovely , encouraging comments :)
Your pics reminded me of home :) This is almost the same way we make Tamarind rice in our home too! Its a childhood favorite and a regular for all festivals and special occasions :)
wonderful post chitra :)
looks perfect dear .
Addictive tamarind rice n deliciously done..Yummy!
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