Puliogare (also spelled Puliyodarai or Pulihora) is a South Indian tamarind rice dish known for its tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors. It is particularly popular in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. There are many Ingredients that go into a traditional Puliogare but the star is the Gojju or Tamarind paste, that is added to the mix to make this rice this sing.

My mother in law introduced this to me many years ago when she visited us in Canada. She brought a dry spice mix with her, and turned any leftover white rice into Puliogare.

It was only now many many many years later that I decided to learn how to make it myself. I decided to go the long and more authentic route by first making a ‘gojju’ or Tamarind spice paste before stirring it into the rice, although I have nothing against just using a box of the spice. Although making the ‘gojju’ is a lot more work, it keeps in the fridge for months and you can also freeze it. Once you have this prepared, making the Puliogare is a piece of cake … or a bowl of delicious Tamarind rice.

You can make this rice as bland or spicy as you like, as they say in Kannada the language spoken in Karnataka, India “salpa adjust madi’ loosely translated it to adjust it or make it work for you.

Puliogare

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Ingredients
  

Tamarind (for Gojju)

  • 100 grams tamarind
  • 2 cup boiling hot water

Masala (for Gojju)

  • Oil
  • 2 tbsps Coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsps Cumin
  • 2 tbsps Urad dal
  • 2 tbsps Chana dal
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp Peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
  • 7 dried Red Chilli Guntur/Byadagi/Kashmiri
  • 1/4 cup Curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp sesame
  • 1/4 cup dried Coconut slices

Tadka etc (for Gojju)

  • Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 dried red Chilli broken up into pieces
  • 1/2 cup Curry leaves
  • Pinch Hing / asafoetida
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 50 grams jaggery

For Rice

  • Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp Chana dal
  • 1 tsp Urad dal
  • 1 dried red Chilli Guntur/Byadagi/Kashmiri
  • 1/2 cup Curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp peanuts
  • 1/4 cup dried Coconut slices
  • 2 – 4 tbsps prepared Gojju
  • 2 cups cooked Sona Masuri Rice

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Gojju – this recipe can be made in advance and stored in the fridge
  • Soak Tamarind in hot water for 30 mins
  • To prepare the masala, heat some oil and add Coriander & Cumin seeds, Chana & Urad Dhal, Mustard seeds, Pepprcorns, Fenugreek seeds, dried Chillies, Curry leaves, Sesame seeds and dried Coconut slices
  • Once toasted, cool and grind to a coarse powder
  • Add the cooled Tamarind to the powder and grind
  • In a pot, add some oil and add Mustard seeds, dried red Chilli, Curry leaves, pinch of Hing
  • Add the Tamarind pulp
  • Add a little water to the jar and add that in as well
  • Cook till the Tamarind sauce starts to thicken
  • Add the Turmeric, Salt & the Jaggery
  • Add all the prepared masala and continue to cook till the gojju is thick and pulling away from the sides
  • Cool and store this in a bottle in the fridge for a few months or freeze
  • To make the rice, heat Oil and add Mustard seeds, Chana & Urad dhal, dried red Chilli, Curry leaves, Peanuts, dried Coconut slices and add as much Gojju as you would like
  • Add in 2 cups of cooked rice and toss in the spices and serve