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South Indian · Indian

Poondu rasam

Vegetarian

பூண்டு ரசம் · pūṇṭu racam

A tangy Tamil rasam loaded with crushed garlic fried in ghee, simmered with tamarind, tomato, pepper and cumin. Often made for someone recovering from a cold or after childbirth.

Poondu rasam is a South Indian soup, ready in about 30 minutes and made with garlic and tamarind paste. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
75

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) in a saucepan (opens in a new tab), pop the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab), then add the curry leaves (opens in a new tab), asafoetida (opens in a new tab) and crushed garlic (opens in a new tab). Fry gently until the garlic is golden at the edges.

  2. Step 2

    Add the crushed pepper (opens in a new tab) and cumin (opens in a new tab) for a few seconds, then the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), and cook until they soften.

    • 4 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the tamarind, rasam powder (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab), salt and water. Simmer until the raw tamarind smell is gone and the garlic (opens in a new tab) is soft.

    • 10 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Let it rise and froth on a medium-low heat, then take it off the burner before it boils. Add the coriander and cover for 5 minutes before serving.

    • 2 min
    • medium-low heat

About this dish

Origin
Tamil Nadu, India · Commonly attributedMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Sautéed, Simmered
Taste
garlicky, tangy, peppery, sour
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · One-pot
Cook more with
Garlic · Tamarind paste · Ghee · Mustard seeds · Curry leaves · Asafoetida
Techniques
Sautéing · Simmering · Fermentation

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee
  • May contain: Wheatfrom asafoetida, rasam powder
  • May contain: Glutenfrom asafoetida, rasam powder
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

75 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 284 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 49%
  • Fat 42%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy75 kcal26 kcal
Protein1.7 g0.6 g
Carbohydrate9.9 g3.5 g
Net carbohydrate8.4 g3 g
Sugars3.5 g1.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.5 g0.5 g
Fat3.8 g1.4 g
Saturated fat2.2 g0.8 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol9 mg3 mg
Sodium740 mg261 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
246 mg
Calcium
61 mg
Iron
1.1 mg
Magnesium
23 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
56 µg
Vitamin C
12 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
11 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: rasam powder.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves, asafoetida.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Crush rather than chop the garlic — it releases more flavour into the rasam.

Common mistakes

  • Browning the garlic too far — it turns bitter. Stop when the edges are golden.

Serve with

  • Pour over rice with a dry vegetable poriyal, or sip warm.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently until just steaming.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Garlic, peeled and lightly crushed12 clove · 48 g
  • Ghee1 tbsp · 14 g
  • Tomato, chopped2 piece · 240 g
Used in steps 1, 2

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Dry spice blend

    Rasam powder

    This recipe uses 1 tsp (2.1 g for 4 servings).

    Make Rasam powder

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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