Swetha's Fusion

Amma's Kokum (Bhirand) Rasam / Muragalu Huli Sar

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Kokum also known as Bhirand (or Murgoonhuli/ muragalu huli in Kundapur) is well known to counteract the heat (... well summer is here now). Recently, industries have started extracting Hydroxyl Citric Acid (HCA) from the rind of the fruit. HCA is claimed to have fat-reducing properties for the human body. Kokum fruit reduces fat, cools the body, purifies the blood, fights cholesterol and helps in digestion. I make Kokum Sar when I prepare Chicken curry or the next day when we had food which is very hard to digest. I read somewhere; human digestive system is designed to be herbivores. Well that's all science, let's come back to the taste buds.. I mean fooood :)

What you need:
Kokum (muragalu huli)- 1/2 cup (say 6 to 7 pieces)
Tomato - 1 diced (Optional)
Garlic cloves - 6 crushed *
* (Take each garlic clove at a time, place the side of the knife flat over the clove and hit it with your fist. The garlic gets crushed and the skin peels out easily)
Haldi (turmeric powder)- 1/2 tsp.
Roasted Geera(cumin) powder - 2 tsp.
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Sarin Puddi/Rasam powder - 2 tbsp
Jaggary - size of an almond
Salt to taste
Coriander a small bunch
For seasoning: Ghee/oil - 2 tsp; Mustard seeds; Curry leaves; Hing.
In a sauce pan take little ghee/oil, add crushed garlic and saute for a minute (Optional: add diced tomato and let it cook for 3 minutes). Add 2 cups water and Kokum to it. Bring it boil.
At this point you will have dark Pinkish liquid. Add 3 more cups water, haldi, roasted geera powder, Sarin puddi/Rasam powder, black pepper powder, jaggary and salt. Bring it to boil. Add lots of chopped Cilantro (coriander) leaves .
For seasoning: in a metal small kadai add 2 spoons of ghee/oil and heat on low flame, add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds starts to pop add curry leaves and Hing. Pour the whole season into the Sar/Rasam and cover the Sar immediately so that the flavor and aroma is locked in. :)
Serve hot with Rice.

Labels: South Indian Soup, Vegetarian

~ Amma's Kokum (Bhirand) Rasam / Muragalu Huli Sar ~
Posted by Swetha @ 7/08/2006 02:46:00 PM ::

6 Comments:

Swetha, Kudos to your initiative...I will be a regular visitor.

Have fun.
Manasa
By Anonymous, at July 10, 2006 12:59 PM
Thanks Manasa.. your comments and inputs are important to me.
By Anonymous, at July 10, 2006 11:35 PM
Just discovered your blog, have fun and happy blogging. Will come back often
By archana, at July 18, 2006 6:40 AM
Thanks for dropping by, I visited your blog SPICYANA.. I should say very attractive pictures.. Geee I am drooling looking at your cakes.
By Anonymous, at July 18, 2006 5:02 PM
hi i am food engg. please tell me that do kokum is safe for children of 1-5 year old children?
By Unknown, at March 20, 2009 3:43 AM
Hello Ganesh,
As far as my knowledge goes, it is safe for young children. I started feeding my daughter kokum-sar mixed with mashed cooked rice with milk or buttermilk(to reduce the spice), when she was 8 to 9 months old (when babies are ready for solid food )

There are very good articles on Kokum on the web ...
http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/kokum.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_indica

Hope this was helpful

Thanks for dropping by.

~Swetha
By Swetha, at March 20, 2009 7:32 PM