‘Pomegranate’ is a widely cultivated and consumed fruit with rich health benefits. I admire the wonders of Mother Nature while looking at the way the numerous tiny seeds are wrapped in a delicate pulpy membrane, assembled in a structured manner in an almost circular fruit shell. Opening this fruit without bursting any pulpy seed is a skill indeed.
Health per se, this fruit is full of nutrition, be it in its pulp, seeds or its outer shell. Not just in various delicacies, this fruit is used in dietary food to treat various ailments and diseases, due to their medicinal values.
Well, today’s dish revolves around that part of the fruit, which is discarded more often than not, inspite of high nutritional value. Yes, the pomegranate peel. Believe it or not, there are different dishes and delicacies possible with the peel.
In Coastal Karnataka, there is a simple dish called “Dalimbe Tambuli” which literally translates to Pomegranate peel yogurt curry. This delicacy is also served as part of the diet of a person suffering from stomach related problems such as diarrhoea.
Today’s recipe is prepared by boiling the peel resulting in pomegranate peel tea, which is further enhanced with some spices and aroma.
It can be consumed as is or with hot rice, as rasam.
Simple to prepare, great to taste and healthy too…
Here we go with the recipe :
Total time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Main Ingredients:
Pomegranate peel (dry / fresh): Few (chopped)
Pepper: 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Grated Coconut: 2 tbsp.
Jaggery: 2 tbsp.
Lemon juice: ½ tbsp.
Salt: To taste
Ghee: 2 tsp.
Curry leaves: Few
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Water: 2 cups
Method :
- Take 2 cups of water in a pot and add the chopped pomegranate peel to it. Bring it to boil and continue heat for about 10 minutes in medium flame
- Meanwhile, in a pan add 1 tsp. ghee and fry pepper, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in it. When the start turning aromatic, add grated coconut to the same pan and fry until dry. In the process, do not burn the grated coconut. Transfer these fried ingredients into a mixer jar and grind coarsely. Keep aside
- Now, from the pot, remove the pomegranate peel and keep aside. The resultant is the pomegranate peel tea. To this, add the ground coconut mixture, jaggery, lemon juice and little salt. Mix well and continue heat for another 5 to 10 minutes
- The pomegranate peel rasam / soup is ready. To this, add mustard seeds and curry leaves tempered in ghee
- Serve it hot as it is, as a soup or serve it with hot rice… Yum !!! It tastes heavenly with rice.
Pomegranate peel stories :
Whenever we purchased pomegranate fruit, mom used to wash the peel, sun dry them for few days and store them in an air tight container. Whenever someone at home was down with a bad stomach, mom prepared this delicious dish which is very common in the Coastal Karnataka belt called Dalimbe Tambuli. Hot rice with Tambuli is a great combination indeed. The acidic nature of the pomegranate peel leaves a pleasantly different taste in the tongue altogether which lasts for quite some time.
Medically, it works wonders too.
I didn’t have enough ingredients to prepare the above dish but had fresh pomegranate peel which I didn’t want to discard. So, I thought of using it as an ingredient while making rasam. Well, how shall I suppress its acidic taste? So, thought of adding pepper, coriander seeds and cumin seeds and little grated coconut to bring in the right aroma. Jaggery, lemon juice and salt at optimum measures gives the dish the taste that will leave its signature in your tongue for a while. Well, a point to be noted here. Whenever you prepare this rasam, make sure to cook a little more rice as we always end up eating more!!!
Have tasted pomegranate peel thambli.. Rasam new innovation have to try
Do try and let me know …Thanks