Poondu Kuzhambu – Garlic Kuzhambu

Poondu Kuzhambu, a very healthy tamarind based gravy which is a must in our home every week.  

Amma makes the best poondu kuzhambu and there is no looking here and there, I just blindly follow her recipe to make any type of kara kuzhambu or puli kuzhambu. 

What is Kuzhambu Milagai Thool?

Its a special blend of all south Indian spices which are slow roasted along with few lentils and ground to a fine powder. This is more like an All Purpose Curry powder, which goes into making of both dry and wet type curries and  gravies. It adds good amount of thickness / quantity when added to gravies and also brings in the best dark brown shade masala for all stir fries / varuval. 

I have already shared our home style Kuzhambu Thool Recipe  which has got proportions for a small batch as well as bulk… you may try it or simply buy a pack of Achi or Sakthi kuzhabu podi before you proceed. 

Print Recipe

Poondu Kuzhambu - Garlic Gravy - Garlic Kulambu

South Indian Style spicy tamarind based gravy made with fresh garlic cloves!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: accompaniment, lunch

Cuisine: Indian, madras, south indian, tamil nadu

Keyword: garlic gravy, poondu kulambu, poondu kuzhambu

Servings: 4

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

• 10 cloves Garlic a few crushed
• 15 each Sambar onions chopped
• 1/4 cup Tomato chopped
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder optional
• 2 tbsp Kuzhambu Thool / All purpose curry powder ****See notes
• 1 marble size Tamarind soak in water and get the pulp
• 1.5 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp Jaggery
• 3 tbsp Oil preferably sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp Split black gram
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 6 each Curry leaves

Instructions

• Heat oil in a kadai / pan.. season with mustard seeds, fenugreek, split black gram, cumin seeds and curry leaves. ( sesame oil preferred) Sprinkle little asafoetida.
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Followed by chopped onion, garlic … (use more whole garlic cloves and and a few crushed) and saute well in oil. The onions should turn lightly crisp.
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook them well until it gets mushy. Add in turmeric powder and red chilli powder at this stage. (I have added red chili powder to give more color and to make it spicy- you may skip )
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Now this is more important – adding Kuzhambu Thool (this is a blend of red chillies, coriander, dal, cumin fenugreek, black pepper and mustard) if you don’t have this then go for the following options
• 1 teaspoon spicy red chili powder + 2 teaspoons coriander powder + 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder + 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• Use Sambar powder (either store bought or homemade)
• Get a pack of vatha kuzhambu podi (Achi / Sakthi brands are good) use about a tablespoon.
• Most kuzhambu podi or sambar powder includes paruppu / dal powder which gives thickness to all the puli kuzhambu. I recommend you buy a ready made pack if you can’t make it at home 🙂
• Saute this well until it browns a bit. should look like this…
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Now add kosher salt (kallu uppu) plus a little jaggery.
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Now add in thick tamarind pulp. Try our Kathirikai Murungakai Kara Kuzhambu
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Now add in 1 cup of water and let it simmer covered for 10 minutes.
• Poondu Kuzhambu
• Once done, the oil will start to separate and float on top. Its all ready, switch off! Try it with Potato Masiyal on the side.
• Poondu Kuzhambu

Notes

1. Using shallots instead of large onions will make this gravy very tasty.
2. Also try to find mini garlic / chinna poondu, which keeps it mild and tasty. Malai Poondu or Large garlic also works but comparatively less tasty to mini garlic cloves. 
3. Kuzhambu Milagi Thool / All purpose curry powder is a must for any puli kulambu or kara kuzhambu, its a blend of all spices with lentil which gives the right texture and consistency to the gravy. Its available in most Indian Stores or you make one at home follwong this recipe here Kuzhambu Thool.

Lets see How to make this Poondu kuzhambu / Garlic Kulambu

Heat oil in a kadai / pan.. season with mustard seeds, fenugreek, split black gram, cumin seeds and curry leaves. ( sesame oil preferred) Sprinkle little asafoetida.

Followed by chopped onion, garlic … (use more whole garlic cloves and and a few crushed) and saute well in oil. The onions should turn lightly crisp.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook them well until it gets mushy. Add in turmeric powder and red chilli powder at this stage.  (I have added red chili powder to give more color and to make it spicy- you may skip )

Now this is more important – adding Kuzhambu Thool  (this is a blend of red chillies, coriander, dal, cumin fenugreek, black pepper and mustard) if you don’t have this then go for the following options

1. 1 teaspoon spicy red chili powder + 2 teaspoons coriander powder + 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder + 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
2. Use Sambar powder (either store bought or homemade)
3. Get a pack of vatha kuzhambu podi (Achi / Sakthi brands are good) use about a tablespoon.

Most kuzhambu podi or sambar powder includes paruppu / dal powder which gives thickness to all the puli kuzhambu. I recommend you buy a ready made pack if you can’t make it at home 

Saute this well until it browns a bit. should look like this…

Now add kosher salt (kallu uppu) plus a little jaggery.

Now add in thick tamarind pulp. Try our Kathirikai Murungakai Kara Kuzhambu

Now add in 1 cup of water and let it simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Once done, the oil will start to separate and float on top. Its all ready, switch off! Try it with Potato Masiyal on the side.

Tamarind Based Garlic Gravy

Notes

• Serves 4
• Making it with chinna poondu (mini garlic) will be very tasty.
• Please use small onions (sambar onions) for this recipe.
• Kuzhambu thool is a must for this recipe… pls make or buy a pack.

Try our Drumstick Poricha Kuzhambu      Chettinad Milagu Kuzhambu 

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