Mysore Rasam

I made this Rasam today after a very long time.  Hubby dear only reminded me about this and it has come out very well.  So thought can blog this so that kids can do this tasty dish and eat.

Ingredients:

1. Tamarind or Puli, Imli. One small lemon size or 1 and 1/2 Table Spoon,  if it is the paste.
2. Tomatoes   2  Cut into small pieces.
3. Tur Dal   3/4  cup 
4. Channa Dal  1 t spoon
5. Coriander seeds, (kottalmalli vidhai)  2 t spoons
6. Red dry chilli   4 or 5 
7. Black pepper (Milagu) few
8. Jeera  (Jeeragam)    1 t spoon
9. Dry Coconut (Copra/Kopparai)  A small piece grated.  grated should be around 1 to 2 Table spoons.
10. Asafotida Powder  a little 
11. Jaggery/ gud  1 small bit 
12. Oil  1 t spoon
13. Salt 1  and 1/2 t spoon
14. Little Bit of Gud(Vellam)(Optional)
15. Ghee ,Mustard seeds for Garnishing
16. Coriander leaves finely chopped

Boil the Tur Dal in Pressure Cooker till it is cooked well. Give one or two whistle so that it cooks well.

Take a thick bottomed 'Kadai' (Iluppachatti) and fry the 'Copra' without oil till it turns brown.  

Keep Aside.

Fry the Channa Dal, Coriander seeds, Red Chillies, Pepper, Jeera ,in 

the oil till light brown.  Add the Asafotida powder also.

 Powder this along with the fried Copra in a Mixer till it is finely powdered.

Keep Aside.

Take the Tamarind juice (if you are using Fresh Tamarind soak it in hot water for some time so that the whole juice comes out), or  add water to the Tamarind Paste and mix well .

Add salt and the cut Tomatoes and let this  boil for 10 minutes in Medium Fire.

  Now the uncooked smell of the Tamarind would have gone.

  (In Tamil we say  pachhai vasanai pogum varai kodikkanum)

Now add the powder  which you have kept ready and mix it well.  Let it boil together.  ( approximately you will need 2 table spoons of the powder)  Add the Jaggery / gud 

Taste the Rasam and if it is too bland , little more  powder can be added before switching off the stove.

Add one to one and half cups of  water to cooked Tur Dal and mix it well with a spoon or with clean hands so that the Dal is smashed completely and no Dal sticks out .

   Now add this Dal water little by little to the Rasam.  Add little and when the Rasam starts boiling Add some more...

 Like this add the whole Dal Water and once it just comes to boil  put the cut Coriander leaves and switch off the stove.

Garnish  with Mustard seeds  and Jeera spluttered in hot Ghee. 

 To do this keep a  small Kadai or Spoon meant for garnishing  (iluppa karandi) on the stove and add 1/2 to 1 t spoon of ghee.  now add 1/2 t spoon of Mustard Seeds and once it starts spluttering, add the Jeera and if you like you can just add one Red Chilli also.

 Switch off the stove and put this mustard, jeera, chilli into the ready Rasam.  Mysore Rasam is Ready.

Rasam is eaten with cooked rice in South Indian Families. So Mix it with Cooked Rice and eat.

The Side dish for this is potato curry.

You can eat it with the 'gundu' Urulai curry that is with potato fry.

That is what I have cooked today.   The recipe  for this is also in my blog but it is one of the earliest recipes I have written.  

 The Mysore Rasam Podi ( powder) can be made and stored in fridge and can be used whenever needed 

Ingredients for powder

1 tspoon oil for roasting 

1 cup coriander seeds

1/4 cup Channa dal

1/8 cup black pepper

1/4 cup jeera 

15 (approximately) red chilies ( byadagi chilies taste better and gives good red colour. ) 

If using byadagi  red chillies take 20 

( both byadagi and normal red chillies can be used together take half and half 10 +10)

Asafoetida 1/2 tspoon 

Roast all these together in  a Kadai with one tspoon of oil till  light brown 

Take one cup grated dry copra ( put the copra pieces in a dry mixer and run it .  it will become like grated copra this can be used)

Roast dry copra separately , without oil on a low flame till light brown 

Powder everything together in a mixer.   This powder will be little coarse. 

Use it when ever needed.

How to make Curds (Natural Yogurt)

Being a South Indian I always thought making Curds is a natural process which need not have to be taught. But of late I have found few of my friends asking me how to make Curds /Yogurt at home. Here is the Secret.

• If you buy cow's milk or fresh milk from market, Boil the milk and let it cool down.
• It has to cool sufficiently well till it is just above room temperature , that is Luke warm .
• Now take 1 table spoon of curds/natural yogurt and mix it well and leave the milk for minimum 6 hours.
• Do not disturb the vessel till the Yogurt is set .
• It is important to start the curd/yogurt making, with the right kind of yogurt.
• So start with home made yogurt or get some natural yogurt from Indian Restaurant to start your home made yogurt.
• Always leave behind a little Yogurt so that you can set your next Milk to Yogurt.
• If proper yogurt is not used to set your curd the curd will not set properly.
• The outside temperature has to be correct for the yogurt to set.
• Normally for temperate climates like South India and Malaysia if you set your yogurt in the night before going to bed the yogurt will be ready the next morning.
• Once the yogurt is set keep it in the Fridge. Otherwise the yogurt will turn sour.
• If the yogurt has not set yet leave it for few more hours outside before keeping in the fridge

If you are using the Tetra Pack milk , like Dutch lady, (Full Cream, Low Fat, or Fresh milk)

this is what you should do.

• Heat Half litre milk in a glass vessel for 1 minute in a Micro wave oven.
• Just add the right kind of yogurt which I have mentioned , 1 table spoon and mix well.
• set aside for 6 plus hours

Yogurt will be ready.

You can make yogurt/ curds with milk powder also. You have to mix the Milk powder with water. Mix well. Heat it till it is Luke Warm. and Add curds. Set aside.

Roughly for 6 to 7 table spoons of Milk Powder, half litre of water will be fine.

During winter in countries like USA, it is very difficult for the Curds /Yogurt to set as it needs moderate temperature.

Even during other seasons if the air conditioner is being used round the clock the curds will not set.

For such climate this is what should be done.

You have to take Luke Warm Milk. (If you are buying those milk cans from the super market boil the milk and let it cool)

Add 1 table spoon of curds (the natural one). Mix well.

Heat the oven (not the micro wave oven), the one which comes with the cooking range, to minimum temperature and switch off the oven, and keep the milk which is set, inside the oven. Leave the light of the oven on. The curd/ Yogurt would set nicely after 6 hours.

I am told that Yogurt can be set during winter by keeping the vessel in which the milk is set nicely wrapped inside a woolen blanket. I have not tried this. But people who do not have oven can try this method.

Aval with Vengayam/Onion Poha

This is also called Aval uppuma.

Ingredients:

1. Aval Puffed Rice (Poha or Avalakki) 2 cups
2. Green Chillies 4
3. Ginger 1 small bit
4. Curry leaves few
5. Coriander leaves little
6. Nila Kadalai (peanuts) 2 to 3 table spoons.
7. Channa Dal 1 t spoon.
8. Mustard seeds 1/2 t spoon
9. oil 1 to 2 t spoons.
10. turmeric powder.
11. salt to taste.

Method:

Clean the 'aval' in water well and soak it for few minutes. and drain the water well. (if it is very thick aval soak for longer time)

Cut the onions, ginger, green chillies into very small bits.

Fry the 'kadalai' (peanuts) in dry kadai (thick bottomed vessel) . grind it into small bits. (do not make it into a smooth powder)

In the 'kadai' and put the oil and mustard seeds. let it splutter. Add the channa dal , when it turns brown, add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and cut onions. Add turmeric powder and salt.

fry the onions till brown and add the soaked 'aval' . Mix it well. Add the 'kadalai'( peanut ) powder, Mix well. Garnish with Coriander leaves . Switch off the stove after 5 minutes.

Note: While adding Channa dal, some kadali( peanuts) can also be added for taste.

Puli Aval / Imli Poha

This is Puffed Rice (Aval in Tamil, Avalakki in Kannada, Poha in Hindi) dish done with Tamarind.

Ingredients:

1. Thick Aval (Poha) 2 cups
2. Mustard Seeds 2 t spoons
3. Red Chillies 3 to 4
4. Grated Coconut 2 to 3 table spoons.
5. Asafotida Powder little
6. Nila Kadalai (peanuts) 2 to 3 Table spoons
7. Tamarind one small bit (nellikkai alavu), if paste 1 t spoon.
8. Curry leaves Few
9. Salt to taste
10. jeera 1 t spoon
11. Oil 1 t spoon.
12. turmeric powder 1/2 t spoon

Method:

Grind the coconut, mustard seeds, red chillies into a paste.

Fry the Kadalai in a dry Kadai till it is little brown. just grind it into small pieces in a mixer. (Be careful not to make this into fine powder, it has to be bits)

Clean the Aval, in water ('kalayanum') . Drain the water well. Put the Tamarind in less than quarter cup of water and take the juice out. Add this to the wet 'aval' and add turmeric powder and salt and mix well. (if puli paste add this with little water and mix it with 'aval').

Keep aside for a few minutes.

Take the Kadai, put the jeera seeds in the oil, now add channa dal once it is brown add asafotida powder, curry leaves and put the 'aval' mixed in Tamarind. Add the coconut paste and also the kadalai powder and mix it well.

Keep it on the stove for few minutes and switch off.

'Puli Aval' is ready.

Cut mango pickle.

This is an instant pickle which can be used immediately after making it but can not be kept for long. It should be kept in Refrigerator and used within a week or so after making it.

Choose a Raw mango which is not soft and which is slightly sour.

Ingredients:

1. Raw mango one
2. Turmeric powder 1 t spoon
3. Chili powder 4 t spoons
4. Salt 2 table spoons
5. Asafotida powder little
6. Oil 1 t spoon
7. Mustard seeds 1 t spoon.

Method:

Cut the mango into small bits without removing the skin.

Add the salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and mix it well with the cut mangoes.

Take a 'kadai' or Iluppa chatti .

Add oil, put the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the asafotida powder and pour the oil over the mangoes. mix well and the pickle is ready.

Lemon Pickle

This pickle is very easy to make.

It is made with elongated yellow lemon which used to be called as 'gal gal' by my mother.

Ingredients:

1. lemons 3
2. Green Chillies 4 or 5
3. Ginger 1 small piece
4. Red Chilli powder 4 t spoons
5. Oil 2 t spoons
6. Mustard seeds 1 t spoon
7. Turmeric powder 1 t spoon
8. Asafotida ( Perungayam) powder little
9. Salt 2 table spoons.

Method:

Boil the lemons in Water. Take a Big Vessel full of water and put the lemons in them and boil it for 10 minutes.

Remove the lemons from water and cut into small pieces removing the seeds from it. Now this is a tough job as the lemons will be very soft and the juice will be spilling while you cut the boiled lemons.

Take a 'Kadai' or Iluppachatti and add the oil.

Put the mustard seeds.

When it splutters, add the chilies and ginger which are to be cut into very small bits.

Add the cut lemons, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder and the asafotida powder.

Stir it well. Add one or two table spoon of water and let the pickle boil well.

Switch off the stove.

The pickle is ready and this should be kept in the Refrigerator.

This is an instant pickle and can be used immediately after making it.

To enhance the taste, fenugrin (venthiyam or methi seeds) should be fried in a dry 'kadai' till light brown and powdered and added to the pickle.

Avial

' Avial' is a dish prepared with vegetables and can be eaten with cooked rice. Very easy to prepare.

Ingredients.

1. Raw Banana (Valaikkai) one
2. Ash gourd little portion (Pooshani kkai, )
3. Pumpkin (Parangikkai) little portion
4. Beans few
5. Carrot half
6. Squash (Bangalore Katharikkai) half
7. Potato one small
8. Drumstick (Murungai kkai) one
9. Cumin seeds (jeera) 1 table spoon
10. Green chillies 4 or 5
11. Grated Coconut 3 to 4 table spoons
12. Yogurt (Thayir) one cup.
13. Salt to taste.
14. Fresh coconut oil or ghee (optional)
15. Curry leaves (if available) few

Method:

Cut all the vegetables into square 1 inch pieces, murungai kaai into 3 inch length pieces.

Some other vegetables like egg plant (katharikkai), peas (pattani) and yam (senai kilangu) can also be added.

Be careful when you cut the Senai kilangu. just wash it and put it with other vegetables without touching it with hand as it might cause itching.

Normally Valakkai, pooshani and parangikkai are the main ingredients and you can add other vegetables depending on the availability.

Grind the coconut, jeera and green chillies into a paste. add the yogurt and keep aside.

Cook all the vegetables with very little water and salt. It can be pressure cooked but stove has to be switched off once the pressure is set in, so that the vegetables are not over cooked.

Add the paste with curd and bring the vegetable to a boil mixing it well.

Add a spoon full of coconut oil or ghee, the curry leaves cleaned and soaked in the oil. just switch off the stove and the 'Avial' is ready. Garnishing with mustard seeds is not done for this dish.

Use chillies according to your taste. I always add a little turmeric powder while cooking the Vegetables.  Hence My Avial looks a little yellow.  It is optional.
I add ghee when fresh coconut oil is not available.