This Garlic Rasam, also known as Poondu Rasam in Tamil, is a spicy and tangy rasam made with tamarind, tomatoes, plenty of garlic, fresh herbs and spices. Crushed garlic and freshly ground spices give it a distinctive aroma and warming flavor.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: South Indian, Tamil Nadu

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves (- peeled)
  • 2 dry red chilies (- broken and deseeded)
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind (- tightly packed and seedless)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil ((gingelly oil) or preferred neutral oil)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon urad dal ((husked and split black gram))
  • 8 to 10 curry leaves
  • 1 to 2 dry red chilies
  • 8 to 10 garlic (- crushed lightly, with or without peels)
  • 1 tomato (- small to medium-sized, chopped or crushed)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • 1.5 to 2 cups water
  • salt (as required)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped)

Method

Preparing tamarind pulp

  1. Heat ½ cup water and soak 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind in it. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
  2. After 20 minutes, squeeze the softened tamarind very well in the water. Keep this tamaraind pulp aside.

Preparing ground rasam spice mix and prepping

  1. When the tamarind is soaking, make the ground rasam spice mix. Add black pepper, cumin seeds, peeled garlic cloves and dry red chilies (broken and deseeded) in a small dry grinder or spice grinder.
  2. Grind to a coarse mixture. Keep aside.
  3. Crush lightly 8 to 10 garlic with or without peels in a mortar-pestle. Chop or crush the tomato.

Seasoning and making garlic rasam

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a pan or pot. Keep heat to a low. Add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
  2. Sauté till the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns to a maroonish color. Sauté on a low heat.
  3. Then add 8 to 10 curry leaves, 1 to 2 dry red chilies and the crushed garlic.
  4. Sauté till the garlic turns light brown on low heat.
  5. Then add the tomato (chopped or crushed). Also add turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida.
  6. Stir and sauté on medium-low heat till the tomatoes soften.
  7. Add the prepared ground rasam spice mix. Stir very well and sauté for a minute on a low heat.
  8. Now add the prepared tamarind pulp and 1.5 to 2 cups water. Season with salt according to taste.
  9. On a medium heat, simmer the rasam for 5 to 6 minutes. While adding tamarind pulp, directly strain it with a tea strainer in the pan.
  10. When done, switch off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves.
  11. Serve Garlic Rasam hot with some steamed rice. You can also drink it as a soup.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.