Poondu Puli Kuzhambu / Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe is a traditional dish of South Indian cuisine. The only tiring part is peeling the skin of small onions and garlic, but once done this kuzhambu stays good for a week which will reduce our cooking burden. If once prepared in large quantity, it will be very helpful to work women and bachelors. This kuzhambu is not only a side dish for rice but also goes very well with breakfast items like idli, dosa, appam, akki roti etc. This is an authentic recipe of my grandmother and she usually prepares this in a mud pot. The flavour of the mud pot blends with the kuzhambu and tastes divine as it gets older. In our family, this kuzhambu will be prepared and given to newly delivered moms, as garlic has the capacity to heal the wounds and increase lactation.
Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe
Poondu Puli Kuzhambu / Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe is a traditional dish of South Indian cuisine. The only tiring part is peeling the small onions and garlic.
- ⅓ Cup Shallots / Small Onion / சின்ன வெங்காயம்
- ¼ Cup Garlic / பூண்டு
- 2 Small Tomato / தக்காளி
- 1 Small Lemon Size Tamarind / புளி
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder / மஞ்சள்தூள்
- Salt / உப்பு As Required
- ¼ Cup Sesame Oil / நல்லெண்ணெய்
- 1½ tsp Jeera / சீரகம்
- 1 tsp Pepper Corns / மிளகு
- 2 tsp Coriander Seeds / கொத்தமல்லி விதை
- ¾ tsp Methi Seeds / வெந்தயம்
- 6 to 7 Red Chilli / வரமிளகாய்
- Few Curry Leaves / கருவேப்பில்லை
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds / கடுகு
- ¼ tsp Methi Seeds / வெந்தயம்
- ¼ tsp Jeera / சீரகம்
- ¼ tsp Pepper Corns / மிளகு
- 1 Pinch Thalippu Vadagam / தாளிப்பு வடகம் Link for Thalippu Vadagam
- Few Curry Leaves / கருவேப்பில்லை
Soak tamarind in hot water for 1/2 hour. Extract tamarind water. In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and roast all the ingredients given in the table 'To Roast and Grind'. Allow it to cool.
- Grind the roasted ingredients, in a mixer / blender with little water to a smooth paste.
In a kadai add sesame oil generously and temper with the ingredients listed in the table 'To Temper'. Now add shallots, garlic and saute until it turns transparent. Then add tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy.
Now pour tamarind water, add turmeric powder and salt.
Once it starts to roll boil, pour the grinded masala paste and mix well. Close the lid and cook in low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until the raw smell leaves and oil separates. The kuzhambu will be thick now and tastes good as it gets older.
Enjoy this Poondu puli kuzhambu with hot steaming rice and appalam or pappad.
Tips for Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe
1. Adjust red chilli according to your spice level for this garlic kuzhambu recipe.
2. Always use shallots / small onions for this kuzhambu for good taste.
3. Don't reduce the quantity of garlic (1/4 cup) for this kuzhambu proportion as garlic is the main ingredient of this recipe.
4. For simple version, you can skip 'To roast and grind' ingredients and add 1.5 tblsp of kulambu milagai thool / powder, but i recommend to roast and grind which gives the authentic taste.
5. Use sesame oil only which gives a great taste to this poondu puli kuzhambu and also add it generously.
6. If you have 'thalippu vadagam' in hand don't skip to add it for more flavour.
7. Veggies like brinjal, mochai (broad beans), okra or black channa can also be added to this kuzhambu.
8. If you prefer, a small piece of jaggery can be added at last.
9. If preferred you can add some grated coconut along with other ingredients in 'To Roast and Grind' and grind it. This will yield more quantity to the kuzhambu but shelf life will be less.
10. This kuzhambu tastes good as it gets older and stays good for a week under refrigeration.
Garlic Kuzhambu Recipe
Method for Poondu Puli Kuzhambu Recipe
1. Soak tamarind in hot water for 1/2 hour. Extract tamarind water. In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and roast all the ingredients given in the table ‘To Roast and Grind‘. Allow it to cool.
2. Grind the roasted ingredients, in a mixer/blender with little water to a smooth paste.
3. In a kadai add sesame oil generously and temper with the ingredients listed in the table ‘To Temper‘. Now add shallots, garlic and saute until it turns transparent. Then add tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy.
4. Now pour tamarind water, add turmeric powder and salt.
5. Once it starts to roll boil, pour the ground masala paste and mix well. Close the lid and cook in low flame for 10 to 15 minutes until the raw smell leaves and oil separates. The kuzhambu will be thick now and tastes good as it gets older.
Enjoy this Poondu puli kuzhambu with hot steaming rice and appalam or pappad.
Poondu Puli Kuzhambu
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog.
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