Photo: Talupu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped & optimised
Iyengar Style Puliyodarai with Avial
Tamil Nadu (Iyengar temple tradition) & Kerala
Temple-style tamarind rice tossed in a slow-roasted pulikachal of tamarind, jaggery and spices, served with Kerala's avial — vegetables simmered in a fresh coconut-yoghurt masala with curry leaves and cold-pressed coconut oil.
What goes in
- Aged short-grain rice
- Tamarind & jaggery
- Sesame oil, mustard, chana & urad dal
- Groundnuts, dried red chillies, curry leaves
- Seasonal vegetables (drumstick, carrot, beans, raw banana)
- Fresh coconut, cumin, homemade yoghurt
How we cook it
The pulikachal paste is roasted low and slow until the tamarind loses its raw edge, then folded into just-cooled rice so every grain stays separate. Avial vegetables are cooked only until tender-crisp before the coconut masala goes in off the heat.
Best served with
Appalam or fried papad, and a glass of neer mor (spiced buttermilk).
Why it's homely
This is festival-and-temple food made the unhurried way grandmothers make it — no shortcuts, no ready pastes.
Why it's healthy
Tamarind and sesame oil bring antioxidants and good fats; avial packs six or more vegetables into a single serving with no cream.
Easy on digestion
Tamarind and buttermilk-based dishes are naturally cooling and probiotic-friendly; the spice sits in flavour, not in heat.
Want Iyengar Style Puliyodarai with Avial on an upcoming weekend?
Specials are picked by neighbourly demand — a WhatsApp nudge works wonders.