Rasam and rice is our favourite meal mixture. With my South Indian roots, a rasam-rice mixture is all the time a comforting meal. So, a rasam is a kind of dishes that I typically make at dwelling. This Garlic Rasam, regionally referred to as Poondu Rasam is likely one of the variations I put together. It’s a spicy, tangy rasam with a tempering of garlic, herbs and spices.

About Garlic Rasam
The Garlic Rasam is likely one of the common rasam variations in South India. This scorching and garlicky model is historically named as Poondu Rasam within the delicacies of Tamil Nadu. Clearly, as ‘garlic’ is known as ‘poondu or puntu’ in Tamil language.
A traditional Rasam is primarily a skinny and clearish soup like preparation, made in a South Indian fashion. The first elements that kind part of any rasam are often spices, some lentils, tomato and tamarind. The usage of tamarind offers a rasam the numerous tang.
The identical goes for this Poondu Rasam too. One of many main elements on this recipe can be tamarind, the pulp of which is added to the liquid base for the everyday taste.
Along with this, different elements which are added on this Garlic Rasam are in fact garlic, black pepper, cumin seeds, dried pink chilies, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, tomatoes, turmeric powder, asafoetida (hing) and coriander leaves.
Like I discussed earlier, there’s a tamarind pulp which is added within the recipe. I favor making my very own tamarind pulp at dwelling by soaking seedless tamarind in scorching water after which squeezing out the extract into the water.
In the event you don’t have time, you possibly can even use readymade tamarind pulp. In that case, watch out for the amount as you don’t need your Poondu Rasam to develop into extraordinarily bitter.
I additionally use sesame oil for the tempering of this Garlic Rasam. In case you don’t have this specific oil, you should utilize any impartial flavored oil for this rasam recipe.
I make this Poondu Rasam in addition to many different types of rasams frequently. Particularly, when the climate is wet or through the chilly winter season, rasams are a scorching favourite with everybody at my dwelling.
This Garlic Rasam or another rasam is a good dwelling treatment for treating coughs and colds. So, a rasam is a default selection for such days too. I additionally make rasam on these days, after I need to make a fast, spicy and a simple dish with rice.
This Poondu Rasam doesn’t make use of the readymade rasam powder and cooked dal (lentils). The coarsely floor spice combination that is part of this recipe is what’s there within the dish, instead of the rasam powder.
With this Garlic Rasam, I often serve steamed rice, a veggie roast or any veggie poriyal like Carrot Poriyal or Beetroot Poriyal. However each steamed rice and rasam is such a comforting meal, that you could be not must have any aspect dish. You possibly can even drink it plain like a soup.
Step-by-Step Information
Learn how to make Garlic Rasam
Make Tamarind Pulp
1. Warmth ½ cup water and soak 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind in it. Cowl and preserve apart for 20 minutes.

2. After 20 minutes, squeeze the softened tamarind very nicely within the water. Hold this tamarind pulp apart.

Make Rasam Spice Combination
3. Whereas the tamarind is soaking, add 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 to three peeled garlic cloves and a couple of dried pink chilies (damaged and deseeded) in a small dry grinder or spice grinder.

4. Grind to a rough combination. Hold apart.

5. Crush calmly 8 to 10 medium garlic cloves with or with out peels in a mortar-pestle.

Make Garlic Rasam
6. Warmth 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a pan or pot. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon urad dal.

7. Sauté on low warmth until the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns to a maroonish shade.

8. Then, add 8 to 10 curry leaves, 1 to 2 dried pink chilies and the crushed garlic.

9. On low warmth sauté until the garlic turns mild brown.

10. Then, add 1 small to medium chopped or crushed tomato, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).

11. Stir and sauté until the tomatoes soften on medium-low warmth.

12. Add the ready rasam spice combination, stir very nicely and sauté on low warmth for a minute.

13. Now, add the ready tamarind pulp and 1.5 to 2 cups water. Season with salt. Whereas including tamarind pulp, instantly pressure it with a tea strainer within the pan.

14. On medium warmth, simmer the Garlic Rasam for five to six minutes.

15. When finished, swap off the warmth and add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

16. Serve Garlic Rasam scorching with some steamed rice. It’s also possible to drink it like a soup.

Professional Suggestions
- Use seedless tamarind to make the tamarind pulp. You possibly can scale back the amount of tamarind pulp for a much less bitter style within the rasam.
- If the tamarind has some impurities, make certain to pressure it first after which use the extract.
- You should utilize sesame oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil or another impartial flavored oil on this recipe.
- In case you are pleased with a non-vegan number of rasam, you possibly can even use ghee (clarified butter) for the tempering.
- You can also make a gluten free model of this rasam by skipping the asafoetida or utilizing a gluten free asafoetida as a substitute.
- Including some chopped coriander leaves on this rasam brings in an additional freshness. Nevertheless, should you want to skip including it, you are able to do that too.
Extra Rasam Recipes To Attempt!
South Indian Meals
Vegan Recipes
South Indian Meals
South Indian Meals
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Garlic Rasam | Poondu Rasam
This Garlic Rasam, regionally referred to as Poondu Rasam is likely one of the rasam variations that may be a spicy and tangy. It’s made with bitter tamarind, tangy tomato, a number of garlic, recent herbs and sturdy spices.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 15 minutes
Complete Time 35 minutes
For coarsely floor rasam spice combination
For tempering and different elements
Forestall your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Making ready tamarind pulp
Warmth ½ cup water and soak 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind in it. Cowl and preserve apart for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, squeeze the softened tamarind very nicely within the water. Hold this tamaraind pulp apart.
Making ready floor rasam spice combine and prepping
When the tamarind is soaking, make the bottom rasam spice combine. Add black pepper, cumin seeds, peeled garlic cloves and dry pink chilies (damaged and deseeded) in a small dry grinder or spice grinder.
Grind to a rough combination. Hold apart.
Crush calmly 8 to 10 garlic with or with out peels in a mortar-pestle. Chop or crush the tomato.
Seasoning and making garlic rasam
Warmth 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a pan or pot. Hold warmth to a low. Add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
Sauté until the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns to a maroonish shade. Sauté on a low warmth.
Then add 8 to 10 curry leaves, 1 to 2 dry pink chilies and the crushed garlic.
Sauté until the garlic turns mild brown on low warmth.
Then add the tomato (chopped or crushed). Additionally add turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida.
Stir and sauté on medium-low warmth until the tomatoes soften.
Add the ready floor rasam spice combine. Stir very nicely and sauté for a minute on a low warmth.
Now add the ready tamarind pulp and 1.5 to 2 cups water. Season with salt in response to style.
On a medium warmth, simmer the rasam for five to six minutes. Whereas including tamarind pulp, instantly pressure it with a tea strainer within the pan.
When finished, swap off the warmth and add chopped coriander leaves.
Serve Garlic Rasam scorching with some steamed rice. It’s also possible to drink it as a soup.
- It’s also possible to choose so as to add much less quantities of garlic should you favor.
- Tomato will be given a skip.
- You possibly can lower the tangy style, by including much less tamarind.
Diet Details
Garlic Rasam | Poondu Rasam
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 91 Energy from Fats 45
% Each day Worth*
Fats 5g8%
Saturated Fats 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fats 2g
Monounsaturated Fats 2g
Sodium 403mg18%
Potassium 220mg6%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 604IU12%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg7%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.04mg2%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 31mg155%
Vitamin B6 0.2mg10%
Vitamin C 63mg76%
Vitamin E 0.4mg3%
Vitamin Ok 8µg8%
Calcium 59mg6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 322µg81%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 22mg6%
Phosphorus 43mg4%
Zinc 0.3mg2%
* % Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
This Garlic Rasam recipe from the archives, first printed in August 2015 has been up to date and republished on January 2023.






