Pulikacchal
Submitted by krmrem
Pulikacchal: the tangy-sweet South Indian tamarind paste for puliyodharai rice. Mustard seeds, chilies, jaggery, and sesame cooked down into a shelf-stable rice mix.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
10 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minPulikacchal (sometimes called puliyodharai paste) is the concentrated tamarind-spice base that transforms plain rice into one of South India’s most beloved dishes. Mix a spoonful into a bowl of warm rice, toss with a drizzle of oil, and you’ve got instant tamarind rice with that signature tangy-sweet-spicy balance.
The tempering of whole spices is everything. Mustard seeds pop in hot sesame oil, then dried red chilies, chana dal (split chickpeas, which toast to nutty crunch), hing (asafoetida for umami depth), and curry leaves all release their oils into the fat. This layered tempering sequence is classic Tamil cooking and can’t be shortcut.
The tamarind extract brings bright acidity, balanced by jaggery, the unrefined palm sugar that adds a mineral-rich sweetness brown sugar can’t quite match. Simmering reduces the raw tamarind flavor and thickens everything into a spoonable paste.
Crushed roasted sesame seeds folded in at the end add a toasty finish and help the paste cling to rice grains. Don’t blend them fine; a coarse crush keeps some texture for contrast against the soft rice.
Stored in a sealed jar with a layer of oil on top, pulikacchal keeps for weeks and is legendary train travel food in South India.
Kitchen Tips
- Use real tamarind pulp from a block or fresh pod, not concentrate; the flavor is dramatically better
- Toast the sesame seeds until fragrant and just golden before crushing
- Cook until the raw tamarind smell disappears; undercooked paste tastes harsh
- Taste as you go; adjust jaggery and salt for the signature sweet-sour-salty balance
- Cover with a layer of oil for storage; this preserves the paste for weeks in the fridge
Variations
- Add roasted cashews or peanuts for richness and crunch
- Adjust chilies up or down to your heat tolerance
- Mix with cooked rice or quinoa; also delicious stirred into plain yogurt
Ingredients
Directions
Squeeze out the pulp from the tamarind.
You can add a little fresh water each time to extract the pulp.
When you have a about a small bowl full, set aside.
Warm oil, season with mustard seeds first.
When they start to pop throw in red chillies, chana dal, hing and curry leaves.
When dal turns red, add the green chillies and fry.
Throw in the ginger, add tamarind extract carefully, a pinch turmeric, salt to taste and jaggery.
Simmer on low heat until raw smell disappears and the sauce has reduced to one- third or thickened yet spoonable.
Crush the roasted sesame seeds with a rolling pin on paper or in a spice mill rather coarsely.
Add this at the end to the pulikacchal. Mix well so there are no lumps.
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