I have just been back after a 5 day vacation to my native and with the school reopening for the kids after their Quarterly exam holidays it is proving to be very difficult for me to cope. I have gone way too lazy I think. So, did any one miss me at all. While going through the recipe index I could not believe that I have not posted a single rasam recipe that happens to be the most comfort food of many and a must in any South Indian lunch. So thought of posting my quick version today.
The first click was a mistake as the focus is on the tomatoes rather than the main dish, the rasam itself but I loved the tomatoes along with the curry leaves very much so did not have the heart to let go of it. In my home only myself and the younger one love rasam and the other 2 hardly touch it. So I make only a small bowl for both of us and never bother to make rsam powder separately for our sake. I prepare the rasam powder only when guests descend upon me. So other than that I always follow this recipe for our daily lunch.
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Make a pulp of tomato and mix together with water and tamarind extract. prepare the seasoning.
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Pour the pulp over the seasoning and add sambar powder and salt.
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Pour the cooked rasam over the readily kept serving bowl and close with a lid.
Quick Rasam with Sambar Powder
Prep Time: 2 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- Tomato, ripe – 1
- Tamarind extract – 2 tbsp
- Dal cooked water / Water – 1 cup
- Garlic flakes – 3
- Sambar powder – 1-1/2 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves – 4 to 5
- Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
- Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 1/2 tsp
Instructions:
1. In a vessel pour the water or the excess water that you may have after cooking dal for sambar, tamarind extract. Crush and squash the finely chopped tomatoes with your hands and add the pulp to this water.
2. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle add asafetida, crushed garlic and sauté over high heat for 1/2 minute. Simmer and add curry leaves.
3. Pour the tomato water to the seasoning. Add sambar powder, salt, mix well. Let it come to a bubbling boil over medium flame. Cook for a minute and take off fire.
4. Place finely chopped coriander leaves in the bowl in which you are going to serve. Pour the cooked rasam over the leaves and immediately close with a lid.
5. Serve hot with rice.
Notes:
- Instead of oil using ghee for seasoning will take the flavor to the next level.
- Using dal cooked water instead of plain water will make the rasam tasty.
- You can also add 2-3 tbsp of cooked mashed dal while the rasam is cooking.
- Do not forget to close with a lid as it helps the coriander leaves to impart their flavor into the rasam.
- You can replace the tomatoes with 2 tbsp of tamarind pulp or lemon juice and make the rasam.