Rasam

#Rasam - a South Indian dicoction of various spices.
It  is one of the main items of the Tamil Nadu lunch.
Even though the required ingredients are common and the method of preparing seems to be simple, making a tasty rasam is bit tricky. Only by trial and error we have to learn the art of making rasam.

Ingredients :
Dhal water                       : 1 cup
Pepper                             : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera                                : 1/2 Tsp
Dhaniya                             : 1/2 Tsp
Red chilly                           : 2 nos.
Garlic cloves                      : 3 to 4 nos.
Tomato                              : 1
Salt                                    : 1 3/4 Tsp
Tamarind                            :small marble size
Turmeric powder                : a pinch
Asafoetida                          :1/3 Tsp
Mustard                             : 1/2 Tsp
few curry & coriander leaves.
Above ingredients are just enough for making rasam for 3 to 4 persons.
If you would like the rasam to be more spicy add 1/4 to 1/2 Tsp of chilly powder.

Method :

for tamarind (puli - புளி) ரசம்

Soak tamarind in luke warm water.
Take a cup of dhal water in a vessel.
If dhal water is not available, take a Tblsp of cooked dhal

and dissolve in 11/2 cup of water.
To the above dhal water add turmeric powder, salt, coarsely ground ingredients highlighted above and cut tomato pieces.
Switch on the stove & keep the vessel on medium flame.
Now squeeze the soaked tamarind with 1/2 cup of water and
strain into the vessel.
Let it boil for sometime.
When it starts foaming on top switch off the stove.

Add curry & coriander leaves.
Keep a kadai with 1 tsp of oil & temper mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour it onto the cooked rasam.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
HA! Haa! HAHA! what an aroma! hot spicey rasam is ready.

Mix with hot white rice & enjoy eating with any vegetable curry,

Onion vathal or pappad.

for lemon rasam
lemon juice is used instead of tamarind.
Proceed as tamarind rasam.
But add a split green chilly.
Add lemon juice after switching off the stove.
Temper only mustard seeds & curry leaves.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note :
The highligted ingredients barring garlic in the same ratio can be ground & stored.
When You need to do rasam add 2 to 3 Tsp of this powder along with smashed garlic & follow the same steps to make tasty rasam.

Other rasam recipes you might like to try

Kokum rasam

Vilampazham Rasam

kollu rasam

lemon rasam

madras rasam powder

Dishes for Lunch

Recipe Index

cleaning cooker

how to clean a cooker?
If your cooker is made of aluminium material, the inside of the cooker will become
black after repeated use.
So squeeze some lemon juice with a cup of water in the cooker.
Heat the cooker with lemon water for few minutes closing the lid.
Wash with soap water after it is cooled down.

Idly Sambar Special

#AraithuvittaIdlySambar - #IdlySamabar with coconut masala paste : There are many varieties of idly sambar. Araithuvitta idli sambar is prepared with vegetables, lentil and specially ground coconut masala paste.
Now we will see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Araithuvitta Kuzhambu powder                      : 2 Tsp

Sambar powder                                                 : 1 Tsp

Red chilli powder                                                : 1/4 Tsp

Asafoetida                                                           : 1/8 Tsp or a small piece

Turmeric powder                                                 : a pinch

Tamarind                                                             : small marble size

Green gram or Thuvar dhal                                 : 1/4 cup

Onion                                                                  : 1 big size diced

Small onion                                                         : 5 - 6
Curry Leaves                                                       : 8 - 10

Carrot                                                                  : 1 diced ( optional )

Brinjal                                                                 : 1 or 2 diced (optional )

Green chillies                                                      : 2 to 3

Tomato                                                                : 1 medium size, cut into quarter

Mustard seeds                                                     : 1/2 Tsp

Oil                                                                      : 2 Tsp

Coconut                                                              : 2 Tsp
Salt                                                                     : 2 Tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish.

Method :

Keep a kadai on a stove with 1/2 Tsp of oil over medium flame.

When oil becomes hot saute small onion till its raw smell goes off.
Transfer into a bowl.
Now add 1/2 Tsp of oil in the same kadai and saute tomato pieces.
Transfer into the same bowl with onion.
Cool down to room temperature.
Take coconut scraping, sauteed onion & tomato, and Araithuvitta Kuzhambu powder in a mixer jar.

Grind into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Heat 1 Tsp of oil in the same kadai.
Slutter mustard seeds.

After mustard splutters add asafoetida, curry leaves, then diced onoin & split green chilly.

Saute for a minute, then add vegetables & saute for few seconds.

Now add all powders one by one & saute for few seconds.

Then add cooked dhal & add enough water & then cover the kadai.

When the vegetables become soft add the prepared coconut paste.
Stir well. Simmer for two minutes.
At this stage add tamarind water and salt.

Let it simmer for few more minutes on slow flame or until the raw smell of tamarind goes off.

Now turn off the stove & transfer the hot idly sambar into a serving bowl
Garnish with coriander & curry leaves. 

Take hot idlies in a plate.
Pour two ladle full of araithuvitta idly sambar over the idlies.
Add a dash of gingelly oil [ till / sesame oil ].
Enjoy!!!.... What!!... sambar and idli got over??!!...

Other Recipes you might like to try

Drumstick Brinjal Sambar

Onion Sambar

Potato Sambar

Aviyal

Venthaya kuzhambu

vathakuzhambu

Vadai morekuzhambu

Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu

Ideas for Breakfast/Dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Tomato Thokku

#TomatoThokku : #Tomato #thokku is all time favorite of my daughter. This is mixed with white rice to prepare Tomato rice and an excellent side dish for Chappathy and Poori. Let us see how to prepare this tasty tomato thokku for tomato mixed rice.

Preparation Time              : 15 mins
Cooking time                     : 30 - 45 mins
Quantity made                   : 3/4 cup

Ingredients :
Tomato ( Bangalore )                           : 4 nos.( big size)
Onion ( Big )                                       : 2 nos.( big size)
Green chilly                                         : 2 nos.( adjust )
Garlic                                                 : 7 to 8 cloves
Coriander & curry leaves                    : required amount
Asafoetida                                         : 1/2 Tsp
Mustard                                            : 1/2 Tsp
Urad dhal                                          :1 Tsp
Gram dhal                                         : 3 Tsp
Chilli powder                                     : 1Tsp 
Dhaniya powder                                : 1 Tsp 
Jeera powder                                    : 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric powder                                :1/2 Tsp
Salt                                                   : 2 Tsp
Gingelly oil or any cooking oil             : 6 to 7 Tsp

Method :
Chop onion, green chilly, garlic, coriander & curry leaves very nicely.
Puree tomato in a mixie & keep aside.
Keep a kadai on a stove with 6 to 7 Tsp of gingelly oil or any cooking oil.
Crackle mustard and then add urad dhal, gram dhal, asafoetida.
Once the dhals become golden color add red chilly powder & immediately add chopped chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves then garlic and onions with little bit of salt just enough for onions.
Saute onions untill it turns nearly golden color and add dhaniya powder, jeera powder & turmeric powder.

Saute for 2 more minutes.
Now add tomato puree.
Let it simmer till oil comes out.
Add salt.
Keep on slow fire until water dries out & start leaving the surface of the vessel. The oil that we have added at the beginning oozes out and the thokku becomes shiny.

It takes around 45 minutes to prepare this thokku. 

Once ready allow it to cool down to room temperature and then store in a dry glass jar & store it in fridge.

Tomato rice can be prepared by mixing the prepared tomato thokku with white rice adding a dash of gingelly oil [ til/sesame oil ].

Other pickle recipes you might like to try

lemon in salt

avakkai - mystyle

kothamalli thokku

maangai thokku

nellikkai urugai

Tomato Chutney

#TomatoChutney : Spicy spicy chutney
A very good side dish for Idli and Dosai .

This chutney has been prepared using tomato, small onion, garlic, red chilly, urad dhal [ black gram ], tamarind and salt. 

Red chilly, asafoetida and black gram have to be roasted with little oil. Sliced onion and tomato pieces have to be sauteed or microwaved with little oil separately and allowed to cool down.

Now all the ingredients have to be ground into a spicy chutney adding tamarind pulp and salt.

Preparation Time      : 10 mins

Cooking Time           : 15 mins

Quantity made           : 3 /4 Cup 

Ingredients :
Tomato                              : 1 medium size
Onion( Big )                       : 2 to 3 big size ( diced )
Garlic                                 : 3 cloves
Red chilly                           : 4
Asafoetida                          : 1/4 Tsp
Urad dhal                           : 2 Tsp
Tamarind                            : very small round [ adjust ]
Salt                                     : 1/2 (adjust to taste)
Oil                                      : 3 Tsp
To Temper :
Mustard seeds                   : 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves                       : 6 - 8
Oil                                       : 1/2 Tsp

Method :
Keep a kadai on stove & add a tsp of oil.
First add red chilly, urad dal [ black gram ] & fry till dhal becomes golden color.
Then add asafoetida then immediately transfer into a small vessel or mixer jar & allow them to cool down.

Now add a tsp of oil and saute onions till it gives out nice aroma & when it slightly starts changing to golden color.
Transfer it into a bowl or plate to cool down.
Then saute tomato in a tsp of oil.
When tomato becomes tender turn off the stove.

Let all the items to cool down to room temperature.
Now grind using a mixer grinder adding salt & tamarind.

Again using kadai temper mustard & curry leaves & pour on chutney.
An excellent side dish for Idli, 

Dosai and Adai [ Pancake ]

Chutney would be much more tastier if its done with 15 to 20 small onions.

If the tomato is of country variety then it is not necessary to add tamarind as tomato itself is sour in taste.



You might also like to try

Tomato Curry leaf chutney

Green Coriander seeds Chutney

Garlic Tomato Chutney

Ginger Chutney

Green Chutney

Capsicum Chutney

Muttacos [ Cabbage ] chutney

Katharikkai [ Brinjal ] chutney

Ammaan pacharisi [ Asthma plant ] Paruppu thuvaiyal

Maangai herbal chutney [ Raw mango herbal chutney ]

For tasty accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for tiffins and other dishes

Recipe Index

How to cook dhal ( paruppu - lentil - legume )?

To cook dhal [lentil ] in a pressure cooker

Dhal [lentil ] can be cooked in a pressure cooker directly or using a separator.
To cook dhal in pressure cooker/pan
Wash 1/2 cup of thuvar dhal (Arahar dhal) thoroughly.
Add 11/4 cup of water.
Keep on High flame.
After three whistle reduce flame to SIM position and cook for 7 minutes.
For green gram dhal 3 whistles are enough.
Take out after steam has completely subsided.
Your dhal is ready to use.

If the dhal is cooked in a separator or a vessel that fits into pressure cooker
Add a cup of water to the cooker & place the bottom plate.
Take 1/2 cup of thuvar dhal [ toor dhal ] in a separator or a vessel that goes into the cooker.
Wash 2 times and add 1 cup of water.
Keep the separator with thuvar dhal on the stand inside the cooker & close the lid.
Put the weight on & heat over HIGH flame.
After one whistle reduce the flame to SIM and cook for 10 minutes.
For green gram dhal after one whistle reduce flame to SIM and cook for 5 minutes.
Open the cooker after the steam has completely subsided.
Now dhal is ready to use.