Pulikkachal (Tamil Spiced Tamarind Paste)
Pulikkachal is a spiced tamarind paste from Tamil cooking, and it is the base for tamarind rice, known as puliyodharai. Its flavor comes from a handful of dry-roasted seeds ground fresh, then cooked into sour tamarind with fried lentils and red chiles. You stir it until the oil separates and floats on top, which tells you it is ready. Keep a jar in the fridge for quick rice.
Instructions
Toast the coriander, fenugreek and sesame seeds in a dry pan without any oil. Grind them to a fine powder and set aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the urad dhal, channa dhal and red chiles for a few minutes. Add the peanuts at this stage if you are using them.
Pour in the tamarind extract, add salt and let the mixture come to a boil.
Stir in the ground spice powder and the asafoetida, mixing until evenly combined.
Keep stirring until the paste thickens, the oil rises to the surface and the mixture pulls away from the pan without sticking.
Cool the paste and store it in the refrigerator. To serve, mix it into cooked rice.
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