poondu kuzhambu | poondu kuzhambu recipe

poondu kuzhambu / poondu kulambu / poondu puli kuzhambu is a tamarind based garlic gravy. It is a medicinal food too. Yes, a tasty medicinal food..

Garlic lowers the bad cholesterol levels and prevents the risks of cardiovascular problems including heart attack and high blood pressure. Try to include garlic in the daily diet. Make this poondu kuzhambu / garlic gravy atleast once in a week to improve the immune system and also for proper digestion & detoxification.

Garlic boosts our immunity and thus cures illness including common cold. Studies have proved that garlic improves our heart health, bone health and brain health.

Garlic is a fertility enhancer for both moms-to-be and dads-to-be.

For ages, garlic is believed to increase breast milk in feeding moms. Lactation moms, pls check out my other recipes to boost milk supply.. Click here for link..

poondu kuzhambu recipe – Stepwise pics follow the below printable description:

poondu kuzhambu | poondu kuzhambu recipe

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Serves: 3

Ingredients

Base ingredients:

• Small onions - a handful or 25 onions
• Garlic cloves - a handful or 35 cloves
• Tomato - 1 medium-sized

For tamarind extract:

• Tamarind/Puli - big gooseberry/nellikkai sized
• Water - 1 cup

For coconut paste:

• Coconut - 5 thin pieces or ¼ cup grated
• Water - ¼ cup + ¼ cup

To temper:

• Sesame oil/Nallennai - 1 or 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds/kadugu - ¼ tsp
• Urad dal/ulutham parupu - ¼ tsp heaped
• Fenugreek seeds/vendhayam - ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves - few

For flavor:

• Asafoetida/perungayam - a generous pinch
• Any gravy powder/kuzhambu podi - 1+ tbsp ***See notes for alternates
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Rock salt/Kalluppu - 1 tsp or as required
• Coriander leaves - few

Extras:

• Water - ½ cup

Instructions

1. Take a big gooseberry/nellikkai sized tamarind ball and soak it in hot water for 10 to 15 mins. Then, rinse it well with fingers until it disperses well. Strain the tamarind extract through your fingers and throw away the pulp and seeds.
2. Peel the skin of small onions and garlic. Wash and chop 1 medium-sized tomato and few coriander leaves. Wash few curry leaves and keep ready.
3. Take 5 thin pieces or ¼ cup grated coconut and grind in mixie. Then add ¼ cup water and grind it to a paste(not so smooth and not so coarse).
4. Heat 1 or 2 tbsp of Sesame oil/Nallennai. Once oil is hot, simmer and add ¼ tsp Mustard seeds/kadugu. Once spluttered, add ¼ tsp heaped Urad dal/ulutham parupu and ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds/vendhayam. Once they slightly change color, add handfuls of small onions and garlic cloves along with few curry leaves.
5. Fry them in medium flame till they start changing color.
6. Then add chopped tomato and coriander leaves. Add a generous pinch of asafoetida/perungayam and fry well till tomatoes are mashed well and oil oozes out.
7. Simmer and add ¼ tsp Turmeric powder and 1 tbsp kuzhambu podi or gravy powder(see notes for alternates with exact measurements). Give a quick stir.
8. Add ½ cup water and a tsp of salt.
9. Cook closed for 5 mins in medium flame. Once masala smell leaves, add extracted tamarind water.
10. Again, cook closed for 5 mins. Then add ground coconut paste.
11. Wash the mixie jar with ¼ cup water and add that as well.
12. Cook closed for 5 more mins. Then simmer(cook closed) for 10 to 15 mins until oil oozes.

Notes

1.You shall replace gravy powder with these -> ¾ tbsp coriander powder + ¾ tbsp plain chilli powder+ 1 pinch Jeera powder +1 pinch pepper powder.
2.Increase or decrease spice powders as per your taste buds.
3.Small onions can be replaced with big ones but sambar onions taste best in this recipe.

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poondu kuzhambu – How to make poondu kuzhambu ?

1.Take a big gooseberry/nellikkai sized tamarind ball and soak it in hot water for 10 to 15 mins. Then, rinse it well with fingers until it disperses well. Strain the tamarind extract through your fingers and throw away the pulp and seeds.2.Peel the skin of small onions and garlic. Wash and chop 1 medium-sized tomato and few coriander leaves. Wash few curry leaves and keep ready. 3.Take 5 thin pieces or 1/4 cup grated coconut and grind in mixie. Then add 1/4 cup water and grind it to a paste(not so smooth and not so coarse).4.Heat 1 or 2 tbsp of Sesame oil/Nallennai. Once oil is hot, simmer and add 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds/kadugu. Once spluttered, add 1/4 tsp heaped Urad dal/ulutham parupu and 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds/vendhayam. Once they slightly change color, add handfuls of small onions and garlic cloves along with few curry leaves.5.Fry them in medium flame till they start changing color.6.Then add chopped tomato and coriander leaves. Add a generous pinch of asafoetida/perungayam and fry well till tomatoes are mashed well and oil oozes out.7.Simmer and add 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and 1+ tbsp kuzhambu podi or gravy powder(see notes for alternates with exact measurements). Give a quick stir.8.Add 1/2 cup water and a tsp of salt.9.Cook closed for 5 mins in medium flame. Once masala smell leaves, add extracted tamarind water.10.Again, cook closed for 5 mins. Then add ground coconut paste.11.Wash the mixie jar with 1/4 cup water and add that as well.12.Cook closed for 5 more mins. Then simmer(cook closed) for 10 to 15 mins until oil oozes.

Finger-lickingly delicious poondu kuzhambu is ready .. Enjoy with hot rice or hot idli or even with dosa or curd rice.. Absolutely yummm..

Tips/Tricks for poondu kuzhambu:

• You shall replace gravy powder with these ->  3/4 tbsp coriander powder + 3/4 tbsp plain chilli powder+ 1 pinch Jeera powder +1 pinch pepper powder.
• Increase or decrease spice powders as per your taste buds.
• Small onions can be replaced with big ones but sambar onions taste best in this recipe.