Puliyodharai: Instant Pot Tamarind Rice Recipe

Name: Instant Pot Tamarind Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 small lemon size tamarind; 1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 6 to 7 red chillies or more if you want it more spicy; 1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds / methi / vedhaya,; 2 fat pinches asafoetida/ hing; 10 to 15 curry leaves; salt as needed; 1 tbsp sesame oil/ gingelly oil/ nalla ennai; 1 cup white rice (I used sona masoori rice) (Soak the rice for 15 to 20 minutes); 1 tbsp sesame oil/ gingelly oil/ nalla ennai; 1 tsp musatard seeds; 1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 3/4 cup water; salt as needed for rice

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Happy Navaratri Guys!

On that note, here’s one of favorite recipes – Puliyodharai, a delicious instant pot tamarind rice.

Who doesn’t like this tamarindy spicy goodness with the crunchy peanuts, a drizzle of nalla ennai (sesame oil) and a side of chips?? It’s my kind of heaven in a bowl! This instant pot tamarind rice is just as good and even better because it is super simple and delicious. Bonus points because I am going to give you two methods of doing this recipe 🙂

While it might not be as simple as buying store bought puliyodharai mix and mixing it with rice, this is definitely an easy version of doing everything from scratch at home.

As mentioned earlier, I am going to give you two versions of this instant pot tamarind rice recipe:

Dhideer (Instant) pulikachal powder recipe which you just mix with rice and
Instant pot version of pulikachal mix (paste) which again can be mixed with rice.

I usually do the powder version when I want it to be done fast. But for that you need the normal tamarind (Not the wet ones, or the tamarind paste) Since I had only wet tamarind with me I made the pulikachal mix in the IP.

I am going to make the spice mix separately and mix it with the rice which is cooked with tadka.

In the picture above you see the rice getting cooked with the tadka. Once that is done, all you have to do is add the puliyodharai paste or powder as needed. You could also add some lemon juice and salt to make lemon rice with the above cooked rice!

This instant pot tamarind rice is a great recipe to make as a neivedhyam / prasad this Navratri. I started my first day of Navratri with this!For more Navaratri recipes check out –

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Tamarind Rice

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Instant pot Puliyodharai is a traditional south Indian rice dish where rice is flavoured with tamarind and chillies.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: South Indian

Keyword: instant pot

Servings: 3

Author: Preethi venkatram

Ingredients

For the puliyodharai paste/ powder

1 small lemon size tamarind
1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 to 7 red chillies or more if you want it more spicy
1/3 tsp fenugreek seeds / methi / vedhaya,
2 fat pinches asafoetida/ hing
10 to 15 curry leaves
salt as needed
1 tbsp sesame oil/ gingelly oil/ nalla ennai

For the rice

1 cup white rice (I used sona masoori rice) Soak the rice for 15 to 20 minutes
1 tbsp sesame oil/ gingelly oil/ nalla ennai
1 tsp musatard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu
1 pinch asafoetida
1 3/4 cup water
salt as needed for rice

Instructions

For the rice (STEP 1)

First lets cook rice. Add the oil to your IP and switch on the saute mode.
When it becomes hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, chana dal and let the mustard seeds splutter.
Now add the rice, 1 tsp salt , 13/4 cups water and cook on manual high for 6 minutes. Release pressure after 6 minutes and open it.
Transfer the rice to a plate and let it cool while you make the puliyodharai powder or puliyodharai paste.

For Puliyodharai powder (STEP 2)

Switch on the saute mode in your IP and add 1 tsp oil. When it becomes hot, add the chana dal, red chillies, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, black pepper, curry leaves and roast well in medium heat until the chana dal turns golden. When done, set it aside in a plate to cool.
Now add the tamarind and saute for couple of minutes (Note you cannot make the powder version if you have wet tamarind or tamarind paste. If you do please do the puliyodharai paste version below and not the powder)
Now grind everything along with the tamarind to a somewhat smooth powder. Add salt as needed and set it aside.

For Puliyodharai paste (STEP 2)

Switch on the saute mode in your IP and roast all the ingredients (chana dal, coriander seeds, red chillies, black pepper, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves) until the chana dal turns golden. When done, set it aside. Cool it and grind it to a smooth powder.
Soak the tamarind in 11/2 cup hot water and extract the juice. ( If using store bought tamarind paste, prepare 11/2 cups of tamarind water.)
Add 1 tbsp sesame oil, extracted tamarind water to your IP.
Add the ground powder to it and cook on manual high for 3 minutes.
When done, Open it up immediately by releasing the pressure and cook it in saute mode for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens and becomes a paste. Add salt as needed

For puliyodharai (STEP 3)

Add the puliyodharai powder or paste to the cooked rice and mix well. Garnish your instant pot tamarind rice with roasted peanuts and serve it with a side of chips or aviyal.

Recipe Notes

Can add jaggery in your Puliyodharai paste or powder to balance out the sourness from the tamarind.