Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        soaked tamarind -- about the size of
                        -- a large lemon
   1 1/2  tablespoons   jaggery
   2      tablespoons   sesame seeds roasted dry
   6                    green chiles -- slit into two
                        -- (more, if it isn't
                        -- hot)
                        ginger -- fresh, 2", cut
                        -- into thin strips
   1      teaspoon      mustard seeds
   1      teaspoon      chana dal
   3      tablespoons   sesame oil
   1      pinch         hing
   1      pinch         turmeric
                        curry leaves

Preparation:

Squeeze out the pulp from the tamarind. You can add a little fresh water each time to extract the pulp. When you have a about a small bowl full, set aside. Warm oil, season with mustard seeds first. When they start to pop throw in red chiles, chana dal, hing and curry leaves. When dal turns red, add the green chiles and fry. Throw in the ginger, add tamarind extract carefully, a pinch turmeric, salt to taste and jaggery. Simmer on low heat till raw smell disappears and the sauce has reduced to one- third or thickened yet spoonable. Crush the roasted sesame seeds with a rolling pin on paper or in a spice mill rather coarsely. Add this at the end to the pulikacchal. Mix well so there are no lumps. Source: Shyamala Parameswaran