Month: June 2014

Rasam is traditional watery sauce that often accompanies rice for the main course in South Indian meals. It can also be consumed as a soup.

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Tomato – 3no (150 grams)
Green chilli  peppers -3no
Cloves garlic – 3 no
Small onion (shallot) – 3 no
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper – ½ teaspoon
Cumin (jeera) – 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard            – 1/2 teaspoon
Oil                    – 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves – 2,3 sprigs
Curry leaves       – 1 sprig

Method: Chop the g. chilly, garlic, and onion finely.

Take half of this chopped chilli, garlic and onion and add it to cut tomatoes in a pan. Add salt and turmeric powder and boil with one cup water for 5 minutes. Using a wooden ladle, mash the tomato pulp and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard. When the seeds splutter, add the remaining onion, garlic and g.chilli and sauté. Add the powdered black pepper and cumin and then the curry leaves. Finally add the tomato pulp pouring another cup of water. Finally add the coriander leaves.

Let the rasam boil for 5 minutes before taking off the flame.

Tips: Using wild tomatoes (nattu thakkazhi) will enhance the taste as it is sour with a strong flavor.

Dhal curry is made with shelled and dried red gram (pigeon pea or tur dhal).

It is a simple dish which is normally served at the beginning of a meal along with rice.  Many people,especially children, love to add a teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) to this dhal to enhance the taste and flavor. It has high protein content.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Servings             : 2

Ingredients     :

100 grams Tur dhal (processed red gram)
5 Small Onions (shallots)
2 Dry red chilly
1 Clove garlic
¼ Teaspoon Cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
A pinch of Asafetida
¼ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Sprig Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon Oil
½ Teaspoon Salt

Method: Wash and cook the dhal in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder, garlic and cumin seeds. Dhal should be cooked well. In a pan, pour oil and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onion, red chilly, asafetida and curry leaves. After frying for a couple of minutes, add the mashed dhal with salt and let this curry to simmer for a couple of minutes.

Tips: Always soak the dhal at least half an hour prior to cooking as it will help in reducing the cooking time. Only if the dhal is cooked thoroughly, we can get the right taste for this item.