
Puli saaru is a type of rasam that can be made under 15 mins. Best quick fix for lunch. Full video and step by step pictures recipe.
we make when we get bored of sambar and kuzhmbu and or sometimes we feel to have rice for dinner, yet we need it to be light meal and also easy to make. Puli saaru helps in these situations. I make pulichaar and just make a simple poriyal or fry vadavams as side. Some call this Vendhaya Vengaya Rasam too…I never make this if I don't have shallots. Because these are the ingredients that add a lot of flavour to the dish.
This recipe uses rice washed water (kazhani) as base. Each and every ingredient, be it the vendhayam you add for tempering, the toor dal, raw asafoetida flavour, roasted asafoetida flavour, every single thing contribute flavour to this. So make sure to add all. I make it with green chilli as I like its flavour. But it is widely made with red chillies. I like both, though mom's is my favorite. So here's a comfort dish, yet a flavorful, spicy one.
Recipe card
Puli saaru, puli charu
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Tamarind Small gooseberry sized
- 10 Shallots/ small onions
- 1 Tomato medium sized
- 7 Green chillies
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves (optional)chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida
- Salt As needed
To Temper:(Don't miss Anything)
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Toor dal
- 1 Curry leaves sprig
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida powder
Instructions
- Take the rice you are going to cook for the meal, wash once, drain the water. Next time when you wash, collect it. This is called kazhani, rice washed water.
- Extract tamarind juice with 2 to 2 & 1/ 2 cups of rice washed water and keep aside.
- Chop onions and cut tomatoes into cubes, slit the green chillies.
- Heat a pan with oil and temper with the tempering items, given in the same order.
- Add onion and green chillies and fry till onions turn transparent. Add the tomatoes and fry for 2 mins in medium flame to make it soft. Add rest of the asafoetida now.
- Pour in the tamarind extract and salt, sugar and bring it to boil and let it boil for just 2 mins. Transfer to the serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves if desired.
Video
Notes
- You can replace green chillies with red chillies and add it while tempering.
Puli saaru method:
- Take the rice you are going to cook for the meal, wash once, drain the water. Next time when you wash, collect it. This is called kazhani, rice washed water.
- Extract tamarind juice with 2 to 2 & 1/ 2 cups of rice washed water and keep aside.
- Chop onions and cut tomatoes into cubes, slit the green chillies.
- Heat a pan with oil and temper with the tempering items, given in the same order.
- Add onion and green chillies and fry till onions turn transparent.
- In goes the tomatoes and fry for 2 mins in medium flame to make it soft. Add rest of the asafoetida now.
- Pour in the tamarind extract and salt, sugar and bring it to boil and let it boil for just 2 mins. Transfer to the serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves if desired.
Serve with rice, mixing just like rasam. Drizzle ghee or sesame oil for extra flavour.












Tina says
Its new to me....Looks perfect. Yummy with hot rice.
Nithya says
Looks yumm.. I am a fan of rasams always.. But adding onions to it is new to me though.. will try it out next time 🙂
Shama Nagarajan says
nice recipe...good picture
Prathibha says
Even I make puli saaru,I mean tamarind rasam...but ur's is a complete new version to me...will give a try next time in ur style..I can just have rice with rasam and survive..I love diff kinds of rasam dear..
Sushma Mallya says
i like any type of saaru with hot rice and padad, urs version of saaru is very delicious and a nice one...will try it soon...thanks for the recipe raks,
Rohini says
I am tempted to make this as you post, as I ran out of ideas for tonight's dinner..but alas, no shallots in the pantry! But I'm making it asap! Looks so tangy n spicy..Slurp!
Sailaja Damodaran says
Looks yummy.Love the dish.
Laavanya says
Oh i simply cannot get enough of this when my mom makes it (she usually does only when my dad is not in town because he's not a fan of sour things). This and pottu kadalai thuvaiyal & appalam - yummy meal.
Happy cook says
Wish i could tale that bowl of rasom and drink like that.
RV says
Amma makes this too..But onion and fenugreek is something new. The picture looks really gorgeous..
Priya says
My mom used to make this, but never tried adding onions, looks fantastic Raks..
shanthi says
NEW AND YUMMY
Chitra says
Have this in archive..thought of making this 2morrow for my mom..Nice clicks as usual 🙂
A 2 Z Vegetarian Cuisine says
WOW perfect for the cold weather, love the way you presented it.
kothiyavunu says
slurp!!Mouthwatering puli saaru.. Looks so tangy n spicy!! perfect with hot rice.
Cham says
I heard of vendaya venga rasam... But bever tasted! This one is very tempting 🙂
Vibaas says
raji, this looks yum. i've never heard of it before
Sarah Naveen says
Nice click..Looks perfect and yummy..
Gita says
This is new to me...looks very tasty 🙂
my kitchen says
Simple &Yummy rasam,adding Shallots sounds good,must try
Kanchan says
So many varieties of Rasam, I need to start of by making atleast one now .. Beautiful snap Raaji !
Priya Narasimhan says
I have never added onion in rasam..i can imagine how tasty it would be with rice and vadams.
Akal's Saappadu says
this is anew type of rassam; sounds yummy and love that sombu in which you've presented!!
DEESHA says
yummy saaru here .. very comforting
Dershana says
lovely shot! simple recipe.
jayasree says
A meal with saaru makes a very comforting meal. Lovely presentation.
Valarmathi says
Looks yummy.....
Vanamala Hebbar says
Shallots added new to me...nice pic
Soma says
Just what I need in this freezing cold. Feel like wrapping my hands around that beautiful bowl and drinking all of it;-)
Loved the stuffed Idiyappam Raks; real neat idea.
Soma(www.ecurry.com)
SE(Denufood) says
first time here...wonderful blog and recipes !!
Pavithra says
Looks yummy, I too almost do the same type and I name it as kind of tomato rasam the difference is Add sliced garlic minus the toor dhal for seasoning. I love this so much this is also perfect for having in cup too yumm!!!
Nags says
I don't have toor dal otherwise wud've made this today.
delhibelle says
Slurrp!
Hema says
The rasam looks very delicious. Its a new rasam to me and will give a try some time! The rasam sombu looks cute 🙂
Mythreyi Dilip says
Puli Saaru looks yummy, adding of onions is new to me. Will try ur version:)
Dolly says
We are huge fans of rasam in our house. Ur Rasam looks awesome. I do not add onions to my rasam. This is new to me. Will try ur version.
Uma says
looks soooo tempting.
Divya Vikram says
I like your header. Rasam sounds comforting and delicious.
Anshika says
This is a winner recipe. Perfect for a cold night dinner. Light & healthy making a superb combination with rice. Loved it !!
Preeti Kashyap says
lovely...i just made this today!
Anupama says
Have never had rasam with onions in it, but am definitely going to try this for sure.. I love rasam of any sort 🙂
Mahimaa's kitchen says
nice click raks..
Sreelekha Sumesh says
Yummy and tasty rasam..looks so delicious!
PriyaVaasu says
Looks Delicious. Nice Click!!!
Sowmya says
We call it as Puli thani and this goes very well with pottukadalai thogayal and kathrikai poriyal.. i love it.. 🙂
Priya says
Hey raks.... Very professional and high standard blog.... Big time fan of urs.. Me and my man eat things edible and good ...because of your passion..thanks!!..
I tried making this puli saru today..but it had the plain tanginess of tamarind ..mean raw smell.. I had allowed it to boil for more than five min...but still... Ny fundamental mistake I could rectify ??
RAKS KITCHEN says
Did you used enough green chillies and asafoetida? Coz you have to balance it otherwise only you will not get that raw smell. Try adding generous asafoetida and more chillies. Sure will help
Priya says
Hey raks.... Very professional and high standard blog.... Big time fan of urs.. Me and my man eat things edible and good ...because of your passion..thanks!!..
I tried making this puli saru today..but it had the plain tanginess of tamarind ..mean raw smell.. I had allowed it to boil for more than five min...but still... Ny fundamental mistake I could rectify ??
Renuka Ambbarees says
Mam:) I tried many recipes from ur blog. ...superb. ...
Shall I kept this rasam for two days in refrigerator? Is it good?
Raks anand says
Sure you can keep for a day
Renuka Ambbarees says
Okay .... 🙂