Kodaikanal Malai Poondu

Kodaikanal Malai Poondu is a hardneck hill garlic grown on the slopes around Kodaikanal in the Palani hills of Dindigul district. Its cloves are smaller, more tightly packed and more pungent than plains garlic, and it is prized for its high content of medicinal compounds such as allicin and for its unusually long storage life. The cool climate, well-drained hill soil and traditional cultivation of the Kodaikanal region give the garlic its concentrated flavour and reputed health-giving qualities. Valued both as a cooking ingredient and in home remedies for cholesterol, digestion and immunity, it commands a premium over ordinary garlic in the market. The crop is an important source of income for the hill farmers of the area and forms part of the distinctive high-altitude agriculture of the Palani hills.