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Puliyodharai is the undisputed monarch of South Indian travel food, carrying the distinct culinary heritage of Tamil Nadu. My fondest memory of this dish goes back to our childhood summer pilgrimages and long train journeys starting from Chennai. My mother would pack it carefully in a traditional brass container or wrap it in wilted banana leaves.
The moment the train chugged out of the station, the leaf would be unwrapped, releasing a magnificent, deep aroma of roasted sesame, unrefined gingelly oil, and spicy tamarind that immediately filled the compartment. What makes Puliyodharai our ultimate go-to travel food is its incredible shelf life. Built on the sourness of tamarind and the preservative nature of pure sesame oil, it thrives through the intense summer heat without spoiling for days. This dish perfectly reflects our home and culture—it represents the virtue of resourcefulness, the warmth of shared family journeys, and the rich, sacred flavours traditionally served as temple Prasadam.
Cooked rice: 2 cups (cooled down completely)
Tamarind: 1 large gooseberry-sized ball (soaked in hot water to extract 1.5 cups thick pulp)
Gingelly/Sesame oil: 4 tablespoons (divided)
Coriander seeds: 1 tablespoon
Chana dal: 2 tablespoons (1 tbsp for spice powder, 1 tbsp for tempering)
Dry red chillies: 4 to 5 numbers
Black peppercorns: 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Sesame seeds: 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Urad dal: 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: 1 handful
Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida/Hing: 1/2 teaspoon
Jaggery powder: 1 teaspoon
Salt: To taste
1. Dry-roast coriander seeds, chana dal, fenugreek, peppercorns, red chillies, and sesame seeds on low heat until highly aromatic. Cool completely and grind into a coarse powder.
2. Heat 3 tbsp gingelly oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Splutter the mustard seeds, then roast the chana dal, urad dal, and fresh curry leaves until golden brown.
3. Pour the thick extracted tamarind pulp into the pan. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt. Let it boil on medium flame until the raw aroma completely disappears and the mixture thickens significantly.
4. Reduce the heat, stir in the freshly ground spice powder, and add the small piece of jaggery to balance the intense tanginess. Simmer until the oil starts separating from the edges, creating a glossy, concentrated Pulikachal paste.
5. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp of raw gingelly oil over your cooled, cooked rice. Gently fold the required amount of the prepared paste into the rice without breaking the grains until evenly coated. Rest for at least an hour before packing so the flavors fully mature.
My Food Story is a collection of stories and recipes that celebrate India’s traditional plant-based ingredients sourced from local biodiversity. You can see these recipes on our interactive dashboard (https://www.cseindia.org/page/myfoodstory).
Hyma Balaji is a homemaker from Tamil Nadu