This powder is the secret ‘sauce’ for the famous Iyengar puliyodarai. Puliyodarai, or pulihora is a rice that is made with a tamarind gravy and is a popular travel and picnic food. It’s tangy, spicy and just good! This powder (podi as we call in Tamil) is made with a few spices that are so flavorful, and lift the ordinary tamarind rice made with just the tamarind gravy to the next level. It’s the signature dish sold in the famous Parthasarathy temple in Chennai, which is where Raj took me on most of our dates pre-marriage! Look for two more posts on making the whole puliyodarai.
Print Recipe
Puliyodarai Powder (Spice powder for tamarind rice)
Cook Time
10-15minutes
Passive Time
10 mins - to cool
Servings
cups of rice
Ingredients
1tspCooking oilAny oil other than extra virgin olive oil is good. I typically use avocado oil or sesame oil
1/2cupChana dhalBengal gram
1/4cupWhite split/whole urad dhalSkinned split/whole black gram
1/2cupWhite sesame seeds
1tspFenugreek seeds
1/4cupcurry leaves, washed and dried
15numbersDry red chiliesUse the hot variety, not the Byadage which is used for color only
1/3cupCoriander seeds
1big sprigCurry leavesoptional; i typically fry and add curry leaves to most podis to add flavor
Cook Time
10-15minutes
Passive Time
10 mins - to cool
Servings
cups of rice
Ingredients
1tspCooking oilAny oil other than extra virgin olive oil is good. I typically use avocado oil or sesame oil
1/2cupChana dhalBengal gram
1/4cupWhite split/whole urad dhalSkinned split/whole black gram
1/2cupWhite sesame seeds
1tspFenugreek seeds
1/4cupcurry leaves, washed and dried
15numbersDry red chiliesUse the hot variety, not the Byadage which is used for color only
1/3cupCoriander seeds
1big sprigCurry leavesoptional; i typically fry and add curry leaves to most podis to add flavor
Instructions
Heat a medium sized curved pan/kadai/karahi/vanali
When fairly hot, add the fenugreek seeds and fry until slightly reddish; Take care not to burn it or it'll taste bitter; remove to a plate
Add sesame seeds to the hot pan, and let them pop; fry for a couple of minutes, without burning; remove to the same plate
Now add the oil, and add the dals, coriander seeds and fry them until the dhals turn a golden color; remove to the plate
Turn the heat off, add the red chilies and fry them so they get a sheen, and a polished look; take care not to burn
Add the curry leaves and fry them with the red chilies in the same pan, with the remaining heat until they crackle and become dry
Let all the ingredients completely cool
Add the chilies to a blender first and powder them
Add all the other ingredients one by one, and blend it all together, to a dry slightly coarse powder
Transfer to a clean glass container.
Recipe Notes
This powder will remain fresh for up to a month in the refrigerator, and for a couple of weeks at room temperature;
Used as a final seasoning for dry curries, but most importantly as a finishing touch for authentic Iyengar puliyodarai.