Pulikachal | How to make Pulikachal | Iyengar Pulikaachal recipe

Published: Apr 19, 2016 · Modified: Mar 18, 2025 by Kalyani · This post may contain affiliate links · 33 Comments

Pulikachal refers to a tamarind-based spicy condiment used as a side dish or to mix with rice to make the traditional Puliogarai or Tamarind rice.

Pulikachal and some memories

Pulikaachal was the one of the first trials made, when I moved cities post my marriage (ergo to please the husband man who was craving his grandmom's dish), and somehow it turned out meh. Till I got the hang of the Tamilnadu-style of making this, with a little help from my husband who used to correct the trials one by one. Must admit It took me a little over 2 years to understand this dish (no, not to cook it, but to understand it better) and a over the next 10 years perfected it to make it from scratch… And am still learning :-).. . read on to learn more….

Fundamentally, for the Non-Tamilnadu cooks, Puliyogarai (made in the Kannada / Mysore style) as described here - with what is called Puliyogorai gojju, which was what amma used to make for most festival spreads. But Pulikaachal …. well…. was (is) another Tamilnadu beast waiting to be tamed. In the pre-blogging days, and when we still craved to access the internet in a cyber cafe, emailing was considered a luxury, so there was no Whatsapp or emails from mom or MIL to bail me out 😀

Well, am digressing.

Having the Convenience (??!!) of not living with my in laws then, I still didn’t know how to make this condiment considered by many Tamil brahmin households as a delicacy, no less 🙂 It took many years of prodding by the husband, and many more years of procrastination later, I finally decided to make this (nay, perfect this).

And the husband couldn’t actually believe I had made it. A bucketful of compliments later, I was ready to make a second batch soon, and here are the step by step pictures which helped me as a novice cook - which would help another of our guild in search of authentic Tamil recipes.

What is Pulikachal ?

Pulikaachal comes from Puli =Tamarind, and Kaachal = to stir / to stew . so basically, tamarind paste is spiced and preserved as a spicy , comforting paste . Pulikaachal is the paste that is mixed with rice to make tamarind rice a.k.a Temple Style Puliyodharai / Kovil Puliogarai, offered as prasadam or Naivedyam in most South Indian Vaishnavite temples - A specialty of the Iyengar community, this dish even finds a mention in 10th Century inscriptions and the literature of the 4th Century A.D.

Other Traditional Recipes using Tamarind are:

Arichuvitta Sundakkai Vathakuzhambu | Tambrahm special

Arichuvitta Vathakuzhambu is a Tamilnadu special dish made with tamarind base, sun dried condiments and a specially ground spice powder. Served with rice and Usli.

Check out this recipe

Arichuvitta Sundakkai Vatha kuzhambu is a Tamilnadu special dish made with tamarind base, sun dried condiments and a specially ground spice powder. Served with rice and Usli or Thogyal

Bendekai Gojju | Okra in tangy sauce | Side dishes for Rice and Flatbread

Benedekayi Gojju is a traditional recipe from Mysore region of Karnataka, referring to sautéed okra in a tangy, spicy sauce. Served with hot rice, curd rice or chapatis.

Check out this recipe

Sakkaravalli Kizhangu Puli Kozhambu | Sweet potato in tangy Gravy | Satvik Side Dishes | No onion no garlic recipe

Sakkarvalli Puli Kuzhambu is a traditional Vegan tangy-spicy curry made with Sweet Potatoes in a Tamarind sauce-served with hot rice

Check out this recipe

Iyengar style Kadag Puli / Kadugu Puli- a Traditional Curry

Kadag Puli is a traditional Iyengar dish which is satvik (No Onion No garlic) curry. Best served with steamed rice /chapatis. It is a medley of native veggies in an umami-tangy sauce

Check out this recipe

Heerekayi Huli Thovve | Ridgegourd in tangy spicy sauce | Vegan and GF

Heerekayi Huli Thovve is a Gluten Free+ vegan curry from Karnataka Cuisine. It is made from Ridge gourd simmered in a coconut based tangy spicy sauce.

Check out this recipe

PIN FOR LATER

Pulikachal refers to a tamarind-based spicy condiment used as a side dish or to mix with rice to make the traditional Puliogarai or Tamarind rice.

Is Pulikachal the same as Karnataka style Puliogarai Gojju?

There are probably a hundred different ways to make this, each varying from household to household (including differing what my MIL makes too !!) , but the husband said this is exactly how he remembers savouring this condiment mixed with hot rice and topped with sesame oil. The Karnataka style (esp the Melkote puliogarai gojju) varies a bit. But this is as authenthic to the real deal. So, make a batch and enjoy !

Pulikaachal - a Tamarind based condiment / Dip , also a base paste to make Puliodhorai (a rice based offering to God)

Prep time : 20 mins, Cook time : 30 mins ; Makes : Approx 200-225 gms of Pulikaachal

Keeps upto 2 months under refrigeration

Ingredients to make Pulikachal:

Sesame Oil / Nallennai / Til ka tel - ½ cup + 4 TBSP
Tamarind / Imli / Puli - 100 gms
Channa dal / Bengal gram / Kadalai paruppu - 2 TBSP
Urad Dal / Ulutham paruppu - 2 TBSP
Whole red chillies - 15 nos (I used pandi variety mirchi - you could sub with Guntur variety)
Mustard seeds - 1 TBSP
Peanuts - 3 TBSP
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 TBSP
Jaggery - 2 tablespoon (optional, but recommended)
Curry leaves - 4 to 5 sprigs
Salt - to taste (about 1.5 tsp)
Ellu / Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon (opt.) - black works better than white here
Dry Copra - 2 tablespoon (optional, but recommended)

For Spice powder: (Adjust spice according to taste)

Coriander seeds / Malli - 3 TBSP
2 tablespoon channa Dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
Black pepper - 2 TBSP
Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam / Methi dana - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (opt.)
Red chilli - 5 to 6 (I used 2 kashmiri and 4 Guntur variety)

How to make Pulikachal:

Stage 1:

Roast all spices for spice powder separately in 1 teaspoon of oil. Cool and grind. Divide spice powder into 2 parts : ⅔ and ⅓ portions respectively.
Soak tamarind in hot water for ½ hour, extract the pulp
Roast dry copra and sesame separately

Stage 2:

Heat the deep bottomed thick kadai (if you have a cast iron pan, it works best). When the oil is heated, add peanuts and fry well till golden brown. remove only the peanuts to a plate with a slotted spoon
Now add mustard seeds, turmeric, hing, curry leaves, broken red chillies, Urad and Channa dal and fry till dals turn golden brown, Now add the tamarind pulp with the water too. Add salt, ⅔ of the ground spice powder and jaggery.

Stage 3

Let it cook on medium flame for 10-12 mins till the water evaporates and it becomes a thick pulp, the oil will spurt quite a bit so place a lid halfway, and away from your face.
Once the mixture thickens even further and coats the back of a spoon (alternatively, the oil starts leaving the sides and the mixture starts simmering in slow spurts), turn off and add the fried peanuts , roasted copra and sesame seeds and mix well
Let it completely cool.

Transfer to airtight sterile steel / glass container.
If you feel the gravy has thickened too much, heat addition ¼ cup sesame oil, cool COMPLETELY and add to the mixture before bottling.
Keeps for upto 2-3 months under refrigeration.
Apart from making Puliogorai, this is also a great side dish for Curd Rice.
To make Kovil Puliyodharai / Puliyogarai, Cook rice into separate grains, Add requisite Pulikaachal paste, the remaining spice powder and mix well. Serve immediately.