Vidyapeeta Chitranna / Vidyapeeta tamarind rice

Vidyapeeta is the name of the hostel in Shimogga where i spent 4 years of college life. Its more than 2 decades now... Made very good friends who are still in touch and can bank on them in good and bad phases of life. For a change we used to love the hostel food (very rare especially during those days). We loved the month end special dinners too..

Couple of months back when i was cooking, i incidentally recalled this Tamarind  Chitranna recipe which we used to get served in our hostel. It used to be juicy, sour and spicy and used to taste yummy. I called up my roomie and reconfirmed the ingredients and prepared it. So, decided to call it "Vidyapeeta Chitranna". Loving this all over again and sharing the recipe with you all to try.

Ingredients

Onion - 5 to 6
Garlic - 10 to 12 cloves
Green chillies - 5 to 6
Tamarind - 1 large lemon sized
Curry leaves - 8 to 10
Peanuts - 30 to 40 grams 
Grated coconut - 4-5 spoons
Rice - 1 cup
Salt to taste

For tempering
Oil - 4 to 5 spoons
Bengal gram dal - 1 spoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Method

Cook 1 cup rice, transfer it to into a plate, spread it and allow it to cool down.

Wash and soak the tamarind in hot water.

Chop onions (vertically as shown in the photos). Remove the outer layer of garlic cloves. Chop the green chillies and curry leaves into small pieces. 

Heat the oil in a thick bottomed Kadai. Oil prescribed is slightly more than usually used.. Extra oils adds to taste. Add bengal gram dal, mustard seeds and turmeric powder. When mustard seeds start spattering, add green chillies and curry leaves. Keep stirring. After 15 seconds, add garlic cloves and onions. Cook the same till onion turns golden brown. 

Finely squeeze the tamarind juice and add it to the cooked masala. Mix and cook it for 2-3 more minutes. Allow this to cool.

Roast peanuts in 1/2 spoon oil using very low flame so that peanut gets cooked evenly and inside too. 

Now finely mix cooked masala, peanuts, rice and salt. Tasty Chitranna is ready to serve.