Rasam Powder

Rasam - an easy to make and tasty dish which goes well with rice.  It is prepared in different ways and thus gives different taste. You can make with dal and without dal rasams. Flavour it by adding lemon juice / pineapple juice / mint or by reducing and increasing the other spice ingridients like cumin / pepper / Garlic. 

Can be prepared with or without tamarind. In case of without tamarind you can use either kokam or tomato pulp.

In ancient days (this practice is still followed in many of the south indian homes) a meal starts with dal, sambar, rasam and end with curd rice. 

For children less than 2 years, Rasam with mashed Rice (Chaadham) with little ghee added  is an excellent food as sambar or other gravies will not suit their stomach. I remember the yummy rasam chaadham which my mother used to feed me adding ghee is still my favourite. There were days when i survived solely on rasam chadham.

While having cold or flu or sore throat, pepper & jeera rasam along with rice and roasted papad is the best food which gives you relief as well as easy to digest. You can even drink them like a soup.

In every household the method of making of rasam & measure of ingridients are difference hence the rasam taste yummy and different.

Thus rasam plays an important role in south indian menu.

Ingridients :-

1. Toor Dal - 1/2 tea cup
2. Channa dal - 1 tbsp
3. Jeera - 1 tbsp
4. Pepper - 1 tbsp
5. Red Chillies - 5 -6 nos (or as per your preference)
6. Methi Seeds - 1 tsp
7. Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp

Dry roast the ingridients separately. let them cool and grind it together in a mixer to a fine powder. store it in an air tight container.

Keeping this powder ready will make the rasam making process even more easier.

When sabudana (Sago) for making kichadi looks oversoaked or too soft

For making kichadi, sabudana (sago/javvarisi) is soaked in water. If you find it over soaked, then drain it & spread on a clean kitchen towel for sometime. The kitchen towel will absorb excess water.

When medu vada batter becomes little watery

If medhu vada / urad dal vada batter becomes little watery you will not be able to take and shape it using your fingers.

Add little rava (sooji), mix and keep it aside for 10 minutes. This will help you to get the batter in the right consistency to make nicely shaped vadas.

The other option is to powder Rice flake (Poha / Avil) in a mixer and add it to the batter. This not only gets you the consistency but also make the vada crisp.

Masala Dosai / Masala Dosa / மசாலா தோசை

It is a filling item compared to Ordinary dosa. Mashed potato cooked in spices is spread on the dosa and the aroma will make one drool and the taste linger in the mouth. Taste best when served hot along with crispy dosa.

Ingridients(serves 4-5 dosas)

1. Potato (medium) - 4 nos
2. Onion (medium) - 1no.
3. Ginger  finely chopped - 1 tbsp
4. Green chilli finely chopped - 1 tbsp
5. curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Hing powder - 1 pinch
8. Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. water
11. Oil, mustard seeds for seasoning
12. Dosa batter (prepare the batter previous day as given in the link & let it ferment)

Procedure :

• Boil and mash potatoes
• Heat little oil in a wok, add hing powder,  mustard seeds.
• After the seeds splutter add chopped ginger, green chilli and curry leaves, saute for 30 seconds
• Add Chopped Onion and saute till it becomes translucent

• Add mashed potato, salt, turmeric powder and little water.
• Cover and cook till water evaporates and the aroma of spices blend with the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves over it and mix.
• Masala is ready

• Now heat the dosa tawa, grease it with oil, pour a laddle of dosa batter, spread it in round shape, pour little oil around the dosa.
• When the edges turn golden colour & the top portion is also cooked, spread little masala on one half of the dosa 

• fold the other half over it and serve hot.