Whenever I see or think about Tamrind it reminds my childhood days. Summer holidays means going to village,chintabayi (Tamrind farm), swimming in wells and hanging around with my couisns on those huge tamrind trees…..Wish I could go back to those days……

Sig who is hosting the JFI themed on Tamarind reminded me those days and inspired me to cook something with tamrind. The tender, immature, very sour pods are cooked as seasoning with rice, fish and meats in India.The food uses of the tamarind are many, but today I have Planned to make Tamrind Rice which is pretty well known dish in South India especially in Andhra Pradesh.

Here is the recipe……

Ingredients:
3 cup rice cooked with 1 tblsp of butter or oil
1/2 cup thick tamarind extract
1/2 cup oil
1/4 tsp asafetida
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 tsp grated ginger
6-8 green chillies slit in two
3-4 dry red chillies
few curry leaves
3 tblsp channa dal
5 tblsp ground nuts

Method:
Heat the 1/2 Cup oil in a pan.
When hot add the channa dal, dry red chillies, curry leaves, green chillies, asafetida powder.
Fry until the dal is golden brown, add the salt, turmeric powder,grated ginger, ground nuts and fry for a few minutes on low flame.
Boil for 15 – 20 minutes. till the quantity reduces to 1/2 and thick.
Put the cooked rice in a dish, add required quantity of the tamarind mixture to the rice and stir well.
Keep covered until ready to serve.