Puzhi charu is a traditional South Indian dish made with tamarind and spices. It is typically served with rice and is known for its tangy and spicy flavor. It is a quick and effortless dish, popular in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Puzhi Charu is a quick, tangy tamarind broth that looks like rasam but delivers the bold, puliyodharai-style punch. Start by soaking tamarind, squeezing out the extract, and diluting it to about **3 cups**; keep chopped onion ready. Temper mustard seeds in hot oil, then add fenugreek, broken red chillies, onion, and curry leaves, sautéing until the onion turns translucent. Pour in the tamarind juice with salt, bring to a boil, and simmer for **2–3 minutes**. Serve hot with rice for a simple, comforting meal packed with tart, spiced flavor.
Puzhi Charu Recipe
Puzhi Charu
A simple rasam made with tamarind and seasoned with chilies and curry leaves.
4
servings5
minutes10
minutesIngredients
Tamarind – a big gooseberry size
Onion – 1 big
Red Chillies – 3 to 4
Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Curry Leaves – Few
Oil – 1 tablespoon
Mustard – 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt – 1 Teaspoon Or As Per Taste
Directions
- Soak tamarind in water, squeeze to extract the juice, and add water to make three cups of tamarind juice. Chop the onion.
- Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Then add fenugreek seeds, broken red chillies, chopped onion, and curry leaves. Fry until the onion is transparent.
- Add tamarind juice and salt, bring to a boil, then simmer on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with hot rice for a dish that’s like rasam in looks but tastes like puliyodharai.
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Hi Srinivasan,
Welcome to my site. Thank you for your kind comments.
i learnt this recipe from my mom… Same method as you.. But most people doesn't know this… thanks for giving this recipe.
Hi Viji,
Yes. As you rightly said most people doesn'know this recipe. It is a regional recipe prepared most in Thanjavur side.
Mam u told one big gooseberry size tamarind can I presume that measurement as equal to 1/2 tablespoon of tamarind pls do reply mam
Yes. When you mix the thick tamarind juice or tamarind paste with water, make it around 3 cups of thin tamarind juice and taste the sourness and adjust water accordingly.