Mixed flavours

A sour and spicy affair from the stable of South Indian cuisine

Chef Bishan Negi is executive chef at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

A tangy spicy dish that is part of most South Indian festivals. The dish can be made in no time if you have tamarind paste ready.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

Rice — 1 Cup

Water — 2 Cups

Tamarind (raw) — 1 big lemon size ball

Sesame seeds — 1/4 cup

Coriander seeds — 1/4 cup

Red chillies — 15 nos

Raw peanuts — 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds — 2 tsp

Channa dal — 1 tsp

Urad dal — 1 tsp

Curry leaves — few

Hing — 2 tsp

Oil — 3 tbsp

For additional flavour:

Coriander seeds — 1 tbsp

Black pepper — 1 tsp

Butter/ghee — 1tsp

Procedure:

For the gravy

Soak tamarind in water for an hour and extract the juice. Heat a pan with 2 tbsp of oil. Do the seasoning. Add the peanuts and fry for a minute.

Pour in the extract and let it boil till it leaves the raw smell. Dry fry the sesame, Coriander seeds and grind to a powder.

Add the powder, along with salt and mix. Cook till it reaches the semi liquid consistency.

Cool and set aside.

Fry the coriander and pepper in ghee and grind to powder. Cook the rice with water and cool.

For mixing the rice

Mix the additional flavour ingredients to rice. Add enough gravy and mix gently with 1 tbsp of oil. Adjust the seasoning. Preserve the gravy in the fridge, use as and when necessary. Use garbanzo beans (chickpea) instead of peanuts.

Soak the channa overnight, pressure cook and add to the boiling tamarind.

Chef Bishan Negi is executive chef at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. Opening his mind and taste buds to different foods and flavours from the rest of the world, Chef Bishan Negi puts his heart and soul into the cuisine, focusing on quality, attention to detail and consistency. He takes great pride in being able to create memorable dining experience and hopes that diner’s palates will be excited by the food he lovingly cooks.