A popular neivedhyam aka Prasadam offered in South Indian temples is Puliyodharai/Pulihora.

Each temple has its own signature prasadam be it the Tirupathi laddu, the puliyodharai offered at

the Meenakshi temple in Madhurai or the chakkra pongal offered at Sampat Vinayagar temple in

Vizag. The flavor and textures of prasadam that we eat in holy places is difficult to replicate in

home kitchens. Temple offerings have a superior addictive taste and its hard to describe in words

how one feels relishing the holy prasad in the soothing presence of the Almighty. God bless the

temple cooks as they churn out fresh and tasty food day in and day out.

Traditional dishes like Puliyodhara are simple Indian recipes that are straightforward and

relished by one and all. Each home cook has his/her own variation of the popular Tamil style

Puliyodharai mix which is a combination of spices that include coriander seeds, chana dal,

fenugreek seeds and red chilies that are roasted and ground to a fine powder. It is this magic

concoction along with a blend of tempered spices, tamarind paste, jaggery and roasted peanuts

that gives this Tamil style tamarind rice its distinct taste. This traditional temple style tamarind

rice is also popular in parts of Andhra especially in the Tirupathi, Chitoor and Cuddapah regions.