Delicious & divine Kovil Puliyodharai recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Temple Style Puliyodharai recipe made with fresh ground spices – tastes so brilliant and is best as travel food too!
Kovil Puliyodharai, is my version of temple style tamarind rice recipe is a simple but extremely delicious variety rice made with cooked rice mixed with pulikachal and fresh ground spice powder. This is different from the regular pulihora, Andhra style tamarind rice that we make at home and very different from the puli sadam, although the ingredients are very much similar. Amma usually makes this version of puliyodarai as an offering to God or to give away in temple – it is hugely popular and I just had to get her recipe to share here.
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Key Ingredients
Cooked Rice is one of the main ingredients for making puliyodharai and it is important to ensure that the rice is cooked such that it is not mushy. It should be completely cooled down before it can be mixed with other components.
Pulikachal is made with Fresh Tamarind extract cooked with Turmeric Powder & Salt.
Fresh Spice Powder is made with Chana Dal, Urad Dal, Black Peppercorns, Dried Red Chillies, Fenugreek Seeds & Sesame Seeds.
Tempering is made using Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal, Chana Dal, Peanuts, Green Chillies, Fresh Curry Leaves, Asafoetida in Sesame Oil.
For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Kovil Puliyodharai
Making Puliyodharai is very easy and this recipe is best for quick meal that tastes best in a tiffin box too. There are a few notes and tips below for making it perfectly!
Cooking the Rice for Puliyodharai
Leftover rice works wonderfully well when you have to make Kalanda Sadam mixed/variety rice recipes or fried rice recipes. The most basic thing to keep in my mind when making Puliyodarai or any other variety rice recipe is that the rice should be cooked and cooled down completely. Most of the times when I am making Tamarind Rice or Lemon Rice, I don’t have left over rice. I usually cook fresh for every meal and what I usually do in that scenario is make my rice well in advance. I cook the rice regularly in my pressure cooker and I reduce the water by ¼ cup than my regular measure. Once the pressure is dropped, I invert the rice (without mixing with a spoon/fork) onto a large plate or bowl and drizzle 1-2 teaspoon of oil on top. This helps remove the stickiness from rice. I let the rice cool down completely under the fan (especially if pressed for time) and it works out well.
Preparing Puliyodharai Spice Mix
The fresh spice powder used to mix along with the rice can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container for upto two weeks. It reduces the cooking time and preparation time especially when in a rush.
Preparing Pulikachal
I make tamarind extract in bulk and store it in an airtight container in fridge – this also helps reduce the cooking & preparation time.
Substitutions & Variations
Temple Style Puliyodharai pulikachal can also be made with the spice powder cooked along with the tamarind extract. It can also have part of the puliyodharai tempering which can be stored in fridge and used as an instant mix with cooked rice.
We also add coriander seeds in the spice powder sometimes but I like the version without it, so I skipped it in this recipe.
Storing & Serving Suggestions
Kovil Puliyodharai tastes best on resting for a few hours rather than being served warm or hot. It is also one of the reasons it is prepared ahead and is also best as travel food. The taste enhances as the rest time increases 🙂 Also, it must be mixed with clean dry hands and trust me, it adds to the taste of the puliyodharai. It stays good for upto two days at room temperature. The spice powder and the pulikachal can be made ahead and stored in fridge for upto two weeks. Serve temple style puliyodharai with potato roast or vazhakkai roast.
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Kovil Puliyodharai Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
Spread 4 cups of cooked rice in a large plate or bowl, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon sesame oil all over. Let it cool down completely.
In a bowl add small lemon sized ball of tamarind and pour ½ cup hot water. Let it soak for a few minutes.
In a heavy pan, dry roast ½ teaspoon black peppercorns and ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds with 2 dry red chillies until fragrant. Remove from heat.
In the same pan add 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon chana dal and fry on low flame.
As the dals turn golden brown, add 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and fry for a few seconds until they begin popping. Remove from heat.
Once cooled down, add all the roasted ingredients into a blender and blend into a coarse powder. Set aside.
In the same pan heat 2 teaspoon sesame oil and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon chana dal, 1 dry red chilli cut into two and 2-3 tablespoon peanuts.
As they begin popping and turn golden brown, add 2 green chillies slit cut and few fresh curry leaves along with ¼ teaspoon asafoetida.
Add this tempering and the prepared spice powder to the cooled down rice. Mix well.
Meanwhile extract the tamarind juice and strain out the pulp.
In the same pan add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and add the prepared tamarind extract. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon jaggery and salt as needed. Note: I added half of salt in my rice while cooking, so only adding remaining salt in the pulikachal.
Cook it on low flame until it is thick and leaves the sides of the pan.
Now add the prepared pulikchal to the rice.
Mix well until everything is combined. Let it rest for a few hours.
Serve with potato fry or raw banana fry. It can also be packed in lunch boxes and as travel food with some chips.
Recipe Notes
- I made small batch of pulikachal and puliyodharai spice powder enough for one preparation for two people, double the quantities as needed for a large batch.
- Adjust the spices as per taste preference.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
📖 Recipe
Kovil Puliyodharai | Temple Style Puliyodharai Recipe
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
For Puliyodharai
- 4 cups Cooked Rice cooled down
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
For Pulikachal
- Small Lemon Sized Ball of Tamarind
- ½ cup Hot Water
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Jaggery
- Salt as needed
For Puliyodharai Spice Powder
- 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 teaspoon Chana Dal
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
For Puliyodharai Tempering
- 2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 2-3 tablespoon Peanuts
- 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 teaspoon Chana Dal
- 1 Dry Red Chilli
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1-2 Green Chillies Slit
- Few Fresh Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Spread 4 cups of cooked rice in a large plate or bowl, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon sesame oil all over. Let it cool down completely.
- In a bowl add small lemon sized ball of tamarind and pour ½ cup hot water. Let it soak for a few minutes.
- In a heavy pan, dry roast ½ teaspoon black peppercorns and ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds with 2 dry red chillies until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In the same pan add 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon chana dal and fry on low flame.
- As the dals turn golden brown, add 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and fry for a few seconds until they begin popping. Remove from heat.
- Once cooled down, add all the roasted ingredients into a blender and blend into a coarse powder. Set aside.
- In the same pan heat 2 teaspoon sesame oil and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon chana dal, 1 dry red chilli cut into two and 2-3 tablespoon peanuts.
- As they begin popping and turn golden brown, add 2 green chillies slit cut and few fresh curry leaves along with ¼ teaspoon asafoetida.
- Add this tempering and the prepared spice powder to the cooled down rice. Mix well.
- Meanwhile extract the tamarind juice and strain out the pulp.
- In the same pan add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and add the prepared tamarind extract. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon jaggery and salt as needed. Note: I added half of salt in my rice while cooking, so only adding remaining salt in the pulikachal.
- Cook it on low flame until it is thick and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Now add the prepared pulikchal to the rice.
- Mix well until everything is combined. Let it rest for a few hours.
- Serve with potato roast or raw banana roast. It can also be packed in lunch boxes and as travel food with some chips.
Notes
- I made small batch of pulikachal and puliyodharai spice powder enough for one preparation for two people, double the quantities as needed for a large batch.
- Adjust the spices as per taste preference.
Sowmya
One of my favourite variety rice. Your picture looks very tempting Ramya
Ramya
Thanks much Sowmya 🙂