Rasatle pohe (Flattened rice in coconut milk)

This post is for my Dad. This is my experiment with one of his favourite breakfast dishes which in Marathi is called Rasatle Pohe (translated as flattened rice in sauce) - Pohe is flattened rice and ras is a sauce. This particular sauce is made of coconut milk which is spiced with a tamarind and chilli paste. 

Traditionally this is made with fresh coconut milk, which is squeezed out of grated coconut. Tamarind is soaked in water and then made into a paste. The tamarind paste is then blended with jaggery (a type of unrefined cane sugar), roasted chillies and peppercorns to form a chutney. Part of this chutney is then added to the coconut milk. When serving, the spiced coconut milk is mixed with the soaked flattened rice. You can add more chutney if you wish, depending on how spicy you like it. 
For convenience I've used store bought coconut milk. I had fresh tamarind so have used it but you could use tamarind pulp instead.

Ingredients

1 cup pohe (flattened rice)
1 400 ml can of coconut milk
20 gms of tamarind (about 1/4 cup tamarind pulp if using store bought)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup jaggery, grated
15 peppercorns
4-5 dry red chillies
Salt to taste

Method

Wash the pohe and soak them in water. 

In another bowl, wash and soak the tamarind in a little bit of water. 

Heat a saucepan on low heat. Add the peppercorns, cumin and dry red chilli and dry roast for a couple of minutes.  

Squeeze the tamarind to form a pulp.

Blend the roasted spices, the tamarind pulp and jaggery to form a paste. Add salt to taste. The chutney is ready.

Keep half of this chutney mixture aside. Blend the rest with the coconut milk (I prefer to use a blender but you could just mix it with a spoon).

Drain the pohe and remove excess water by lightly squeezing them using your palms.

While serving, mix the pohe with the spiced coconut milk. I always add some extra chutney to mine :)