Poondu Kulambu / Garlic Gravy

Poondu is the Tamil name for garlic and the garlic used for this dish is unique known as 'Oru poondu' / Pearl Garlic. It is different from the normal garlic. The normal garlic has many cloves (petals) whereas Oru poondu is a whole garlic without any cloves. This is a special kind of garlic which is available in the markets around Theni and Cumbum districts of Tamilnadu. This garlic is best suited for making this dish. If this garlic is unavailable at your place then you can still use other types of garlic (the garlic with bigger cloves) to prepare this dish.

Ingredients:



Oru poondu / Garlic - 1/2 cup

  ~ (If you use other type of garlic - take 10 large nos)

Onion - 1 medium size

  ~ (If you use pearl onions (sambhar onion) - take 10 small nos)

Tamarind - 1 small gooseberry (nellikkai) size, soak it in a cup of warm water

Coriander powder / Dhania powder - 2 teaspoon

Pepper corn - 1/2 tea spoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry red chillies - 5 nos

Curry leaves - 3 strings

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Split Urid Dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - a pinch

Oil - 1.5 tablespoon

Salt - To taste

Method:



1) Take a Pan and heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in it. Add Peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander powder, fenugreek seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Roast these well on a low flame till you sense a good aroma from it.

2) Transfer the above contents to a plate.

3) Fry onion in the same pan and for few minutes. Add this to the above mixture and allow it to cool.

4) Grind this mixture to form a fine paste. Add just a pinch of water while grinding.

5) Take a thick bottom vessel and heat 1 tablespoon of oil in it.

6) Add mustard seeds, urid dal, garlic cloves, curry leaves and asafoetida (definitely in this order). Make sure the flame is in medium level.

7) Saute them till the garlic is fried enough.

8) Add the paste which was prepared earlier to this vessel.

9) Now squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice out of it. Add this to the mixture in the same vessel.

10) Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt to taste. Stir the mixture and close it.

11) Wait till the oil oozes out from the curry or water content is reduced and the gravy is half thick.

12) Poondu Kulambu is ready to be served.

Pudhina Rice / Mint Rice

Pudhina/Mint not only produces good aroma when cooked, but also has many medicinal properties that helps in digestion. Using it, one can prepare wonderful recipes like mint chutney, mint pulao and so on. The preparation of Mint Rice is outlined here.

Ingredients:



Mint leaves (Pudhina leaves) - 1 small bunch/1 cup, optimum packing

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Potato - 2 nos, medium size

Rice - 1.5 cup

Water - 3 cups

Onion - 1 small size, fine chopped

Green chillies - 3 nos

Garlic cloves - 3 nos

Ginger - 1 inch

Salt - To taste

Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon

Cardamom seeds - 3 nos

Curry leaves - 1 string

Bay leaves - 1

Oil/butter/ghee - 2 teaspoon



Method:



1) Rinse the rice well in water twice or thrice till the water gets clear and keep it aside.

2) Chop the potato and half boil it.

3) Add Mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger,garlic, Poppy seeds, cardamom seeds together in a mixer or food processor.

4) Grind it to a paste without adding water.If required, add 1 tablespoon of water.

5) Take a pressure cooker and heat oil in it.

6) When oil is warm enough, add bay leaves and curry leaves.

7) Add onion and saute till transparent.

8) Add the pudhina / mint paste with the sauted onions.

9) Saute for 2-3 minutes such that the raw smell of pudhina/mint goes off.

10) Add the rinsed rice, 3 cups of water and salt to taste in cooker.

11) Close the cooker, wait for the steam to come out, then put the whistle and allow it to cook until you hear 2 or 3 whistles.

12) Wait till the steam normalizes and then open the lid and mix the rice gently.

13) Mint / Pudhina rice is ready. Serve it with curd or raitha.

 

Note:

1) Increase or decrease the mint leaves according to the flavor you want. 3/4 th cup is correct for 1 and 1/2 cup rice.

2) Add a drop of lemon juice to retain the colour of  the mint leaves in the rice and for flavor.

Tamarind Rasam / Indian Tamarind Spicy Soup

Rasam (Chaaru) is nothing but tamarind juice mixed well with spices. As it contains pepper, cumin and garlic it is a highly recommended food for cough, cold and fever.

Ingredients:



Tamarind - 1 small lemon soaked in warm water

Tomato - 1 small size

Pepper - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves - 6 strings

Curry leaves - 1 string

Green chillies - 2 nos

Garlic clove - 1 small

Salt - To taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - a pinch



Method:
1) Take Tamarind in a bowl and soak it in warm water for 15 minutes.

2) Squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice from it. Add some more water and again squeeze to extract juice out of it. .

3) Cut the tomato, mash it using your hands. Add this to the tamarind juice.

4) Add pepper, cumin seeds, 3 strings of chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and garlic together in a mixer or food processor and grind it for half a minute until the ingredients are half crushed.

5) Transfer this mixture to the bowl containing tamarind juice and mix the contents well.

6) Add salt and turmeric powder to the mixture.

7) Heat tamarind juice mixture in a medium flame.

8) When foam starts forming in the top of the mixture, sprinkle 3 strings of chopped coriander leaves and turn off the stove.

9) Take a frying pan and heat oil in it.

10) Add mustard seeds and fenugreek. Once they splutter, add curry leaves.

11) Add this seasoning to the tamarind juice mixture.

12) Tamarind Rasam is ready.

Note:

1) To get best results add salt when the rasam starts heating and stop the flame when it forms foam. Don't allow it to boil as the Rasam will lose its taste.

2) Adjust the water quantity according to the sourness of tamarind.