Rasam (using dhal) - a yummy toungue tickler

You can check here to know how to prepare Rasam Powder.

Rasam can be prepared in various methods with varied measure of main ingridients like toor dhal, jeera and pepper. 

If you are using tomato in rasam making, accordingly you can reduce the tamarind use to get the right tangy taste.

To make this yummy toungue tickler, you need

Ingridients :-

1. Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
2. Tomato - 1 medium
3. Rasam Powder - 2 tbsp
4. Toor Dhal - 1/4 tea cup
5. Haldi Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
6. Hing powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Jaggery - 1 small piece (to enhance the taste and flavour)
8. Salt to taste

Tempering :

1. Ghee - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Jeera (optional) - a pinch

Garnishing :

1. Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
2. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

 Procedure :

• Pressure cook toor dal till it becomes mushy and keep aside
• Finely chop tomato & coriander leaves
• Boil tamarind and extract tamarind water using 4 and 1/2  tea cups of water (rasam should look watery like a clear soup)
• In a wok, heat ghee, add mustard seeds and cumin (jeera) after they splutter, add the chopped tomatoes & little salt and saute till it becomes mushy
• Add tamarind water, turmeric powder (haldi) and Hing powder, Jaggery, Salt , rasam powder and  bring it to boil
• Reduce the flame and boil it for 3 minutes
• Now Add mashed dal to it and stir well
• When the rasam starts boiling, foam will form on top that is the stage you should remove it from flame (as boiling well after adding dhal will spoil the taste of the yummy rasam)
• Add chopped coriander leaves and whole curry leaves to garnish the rasam
• Your yummy rasam is ready to be relished along with white rice

To steaming white rice, add few drops of ghee, mix and mash the rice with your hand and add generously few laddles of rasam and enjoy your mouth watering delicious rasam rice / Rasam Chaadham.

Points to be noted.

1. Don't boil the rasam well after adding dhal as it will spoil the taste
2. Instead of tamarind you can use kokam too. just drop 3 to 4 pieces of kokam
3. If you don't have rasam powder handy, you can add coriander powder, red chilli powder and little sambar powder too and make another type of yummy rasam (ingridients varied measure and added in varied forms accordingly give you difference in taste)

New Winged visitor to my place today

Today I had a strange pair of visitors at my window. They sounded like sparrow but looked very different. First time I am seeing these beauties!

They were so kind and posed for a few shots.  I have seen them swiftly flying together happily and actively around with a grace.

If you know the name of this bird, please share it. I am also googling for it.

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.