POONDU RASAM, how to make garlic rasam

 GARLIC....what health benefits and nutrition hidden inside those small pods!!!!

*Helps blood flow freely and thus lowers blood pressure!

*Reduces Cardiovascular disease  risks by lowering cholesterol!

*Keeps the blood vessels relaxed!

*Boosts immunity and reduces the length of Cold and Flu symptoms!

*Reduces fatigue and helps us stay fit!

*Reduces the risk of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis!

And....such a healthy garlic, combined with various healthy ingredients contribute to this wonderful Rasam, which can be drunk as a soup too!

My other 15  Rasam Varieties

Ingredients

Garlic pods - 25 - 30

Water - 2-3 cups

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To roast and powder

Curry leaves - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 6

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Red chillies - 2 - 3

To season

Ghee - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/soup

Prep time: 5 mts; Cooking time: 20 - 25 mts

Serves 3-4

First, in 1/2 tsp ghee, on slow fire, saute the garlic pods(reserving 6) till they become slightly brownish. Add a pinch of salt

Like this

There are 2 ways to get the garlic cooked . 1. In a vessel, take water, add turmeric and hing powders, and to this add the roasted garlic, and allow it to boil on slow flames, because, if we add tamarind paste in the beginning itself, garlic won't get cooked well 2. If you want the garlic pods to be really soft, then you can cook them for 1 - 2  whistles, then add to the vessel, and in this case, tamarind paste can be added too in the beginning itself.

In the meantime, in the same pan in which we roasted garlic, add all the roasting ingredients. No need to add extra ghee

Roast well like this

Load it to the blender jar, let it cool a bit

Check whether the garlic is cooked, add salt now, and let it boil

Roasted ingredients powdered

and water added to it

By now, garlic is cooked, raw smell of tamarind gone and water reduced to half, then add this powder-water, and let it become frothy. No need to boil

In 1 tsp ghee, season some curry leaves and mustard seeds and pour on the rasam

Serve this piping hot rasam with rice and a vegetable.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Categories: Rasams