Ingredients:
• For the Tamarind sauce (pulikachal)
•
Method:
- Dry-roast the fenugreek seeds until they darken slightly to a reddish hue.
- In a tiny bit of oil, fry the red chillies. Remove and use a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- In a spice grinder, powder the fenugreek and chillies along with about 1/2 tsp of salt. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil and add the mustard, asafoetida, chillies, chana dal and urad dal. Fry for a minute.
- Once the peanuts start browning, add the tamarind sauce. Let the tamarind sauce reduce on a low flame until it has thickened to a consistency almost like that of molasses. Now add the chilli-fenugreek powder and stir well to mix. Check for salt and add more if needed. Take off heat.
- This sauce can be stored for weeks if kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds.
- When they crackle, add the curry leaves, cashew nuts and peanuts and fry until the peanuts turn lightly golden.
- Add the peanuts, mustard and curry leaves to the rice along with the tamarind sauce. Mix thoroughly. Add more tamarind sauce if you need.