Puli Sadham / Tamarind Rice

Puli Sadham / Tamarind Rice is a speciality in South India. It is prepared as prasadham in temples and is unbelievably tasty! A lot of people try to replicate the same taste at home. I have tried it too and it came out quite well!
Ingredients

• Cooked rice - 1 cup / 200gms
• Tamarind extract - from 1 lemon size
• Turmeric powder - 1/4th teaspoon
• Salt - as required

Roast & Grind

• Chana Dal / Pottukadalai - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal / Uzhundhu - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 and half teaspoon
• Red chillies - 4
• Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon (optional) 

Other ingredients

• Gingelly oil / Nallennai - 3 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Kadalai paruppu - 1 teaspoon
• Red chilli - 3 
• Ground nuts or Cashew - 4 teaspoon
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Preparation

1. In a frying pan roast all the items under "roast and grind" except fenugreek seeds in a teaspoon of oil. Cool it and grind it into a fine powder and set it aside. Make tamarind extract from the lemon size Tamarind. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and grind it finely and keep it ready. 

1. In the same frying pan pour 2 teaspoons of gingelly oil and season it with all the items under "other ingredients" in the same mentioned order. Now pour the tamarind extract and add turmeric powder and salt. Let it boil in low flame until the oil starts floating up. Switch it off. 

1. Add the cooked rice and start mixing without mashing it. Add the ground powder as you mix slowly. Add the fenugreek powder too at this stage (optional).  Check for salt. 

OR

The steps mentioned will give you an yellow puli Sadham. If you want it brown, you can add the roasted and ground powder before the tamarind extract starts boiling. Let it boil on low flame, switch off and mix the rice. Add fenugreek powder lastly (optional). This will give you a brown puli sadham. I made the brown version.