Tamarind Rice or Puliyodharai recipe, also known as Puliyogare or Pulihora, is a tangy and piquant rice preparation from south India. It is for those who love flavour-packed food and are not shy of bold tastes. Tamarind Rice is loved by kids and adults alike and is a favourite of many.
This easy Tamarind Rice recipe is packed with flavour and texture. The five distinct tastes come together dreamily resulting in a delicious and balanced dish, perfect even for vegans and vegetarians. It has spiciness from chillies and peppercorns, a slight sweetness from the jaggery, saltiness from the salt, just a hint of bitterness from the fenugreek seeds (barely discernible), and the foremost taste in this tamarind rice recipe - the sourness that comes from the addition of the main ingredient, tamarind. This simple tamarind rice recipe is also completely gluten-free and lactose free.
If you are wondering how to make tamarind rice, you could watch our easy step-by-step video which handholds you through the entire process and acts as a perfect companion top the detailed recipe below.
Fun fact: Tamarind Rice or Puliyodharai is not just a Tamil preparation. It is made in southern Indian states and the name changes from state to state as it is called Puliyogare in Karnataka, and Pulihora or Chintapandu Pulihora in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. That’s the reason we prefer to call it South Indian Tamarind Rice.
Tamarind rice is often made to mark festivals and special occasions. This simple tamarind rice recipe calls for no garlic and onion hence it is offered to the Gods and is known as prasadam in southern India. Devotees get to eat it after the offering to the God has been made.
Tamarind rice can have a shelf life up to two days, and hence is also the preferred food of many while travelling in trains.
We have used Sona Masuri rice for our Yummefy-ed recipe of Tamarind rice. This medium-grained aromatic rice is grown in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. Basmati rice is not ideal for this preparation as the tradition is to use medium-grained. If you can’t find Sona Masuri, you could use any medium-grained aromatic rice for making Tamarind rice.
We also often make tamarind rice with leftover rice. Boiled rice from a previous meal is sprinkled with a bit of turmeric and then used to. Ake this dish following our recipe below.
If you are often short on time, you could make the masala powder mentioned in the Tamarind rice recipe ahead of time and store in an airtight glass jar. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to 30 days and use as needed. However, we make ours fresh, always, as the flavor of fresh masalas and spice blends is incomparable.
We have used tamarind soaked in warm water. The extraction of the tamarind paste / water can be done a night ahead and can be kept in the refrigerator overnight. You could use the store-bought tamarind paste and dilute it but the flavor of homemade tamarind water is unmatched, hence we insist you try the all-natural soaked tamarind paste / water at least once.
While dry roasting the spices and dals for making the masala powder for Tamarind rice, make sure your undivided attention is on the kadhai, as these can overcook or burn in no time. Just a few seconds extra can result in blackened spices leaving an undesirable taste to the preparation.
And lastly, when you pour the tamarind mixture over the rice, stir gently so as to not break the rice.
Tamarind Rice is usually a part of a larger meal though you may serve it on its own too. You can pack in the tiffin boxes for your children or your own office lunches too. Tamarind rice can be accompanied by papads, pickles, or vadagams. Or as part of a dinner buffet, serve it along with Baby Potato Masala Poriyal, Uppu Kari, Mixed Vegetable Kootu, and Fish Curry.
To serve Tamarind rice to guests or family in an interesting way, you could put the rice in a medium bowl, fill it, level it, and then invert the bowl into the centre of the serving plate. You could garnish the tamarind rice with fried curry leaves or red chillies. You could also add some fried cashews.
In south India, there are other dishes much like tamarind rice such as lemon rice, tomato rice, and coconut rice.
See our Tamarind Rice recipe in English below with step by step pictures and easy video tutorial to make the best Puliyodharai recipe at home.
Or take a look at all our Rice Recipes right here!