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Rasam recipe, a traditional, authentic South Indian soup or appetizer made with tamarind

Rasam recipe

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. tamarind

Ingredients

• Water - 2 1/2 cups
• Tamarind - Indian gooseberry size, soak in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 mts, extract juice
• Tomato - 1, small, crushed (optional)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 6
• Coriander leaves with stalks - finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp, freshly hand pounded in a mortar pestle
• Garlic cloves - 2-3, crushed (optional)
• Black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp, freshly crushed
• Salt to taste
• For tempering:
• Oil or ghee - 1 1/2 tsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1, tear and de-seed
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

1. In a vessel, add water, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, asafoetida (1/4 tsp), crushed tomato, jaggery, half of the chopped coriander leaves with stalks, salt and curry leaves. Bring to a boil and cook on high flame for 2 mts and medium high flame for 7 mts.
2. Add crushed cumin seeds and black pepper corns and bring to a boil for a little less than a minute.
3. While the rasam is simmering, heat ghee or oil in a small vessel for tempering. Once it turns hot, add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Immediately add cumin seeds, red chili, curry leaves and asafoetida and turn off flame.
4. Add this tempering to the boiling rasam and turn off flame. Add remaining fresh coriander leaves, place lid and allow the flavors to meld for at least 30 mts to an hour.
5. Serve warm with hot rice and papad.

Tips

• Taste the tamarind water for sourness. Adjust water accordingly. If its too sour, add more water.
• At Step 2, you can add spices of your choice.
• You can add 2 crushed garlic cloves also along with cumin and black pepper corns. Garlic gives a wonderful flavor to the rasam.
• You can add a heaped tbsp of cooked tur dal.
• If tomato is not on hand, you can omit it.
• Vegans can omit ghee and use oil. The tempering is good with oil too.

Potato fry recipe, easy, quick South Indian style

Potato fry recipe, simple, easy to make, quick South Indian stir fry to go with rice and rasam

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. potato

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 3, large (peel, dice and place in salted water for 15 mts)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilis - 3, slit length wise
• Pappula podi - 1/2 tsp OR Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Tempering:
• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

1. Heat oil in a heay bottomed vessel, once hot add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Immediately add asafoetida, green chilis and curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
2. Add the diced potatoes and cook on high flame for 4 to 5 mts, tossing the cubed potatoes frequently.
3. Reduce flame, add turmeric powder and mix. Place lid and cook on low flame for 15 mts. After 15 mts, remove lid, add salt to taste and mix well.
4. Place lid and continue to cook on low flame till the potatoes soften for another 5 mts. Add pappula podi or sambar podi at this stage. Continue to cook the potatoes without lid till the potatoes turn slightly crisp with a light brown shade.
5. Turn off flame and remove to a serving bowl. Serve with rice, rasam and papad.

Tips

• Asafoetida can be replaced with a crushed garlic clove.
• You can use red chili powder in place of pappula podi or sambar podi.
• An iron kadai or a non stick pan can be used. I used an iron kadai.
• To make pappula podi/putnala podi, grind 1 1/2 tbsps roasted chana dal (dalia), 1 dry red chili, pinch of cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp dry coconut powder.

Andhra tomato pickle recipe, instant & easy

Tomato pickle recipe, a simple, instant, tasty and best tomato pachadi Andhra style preparation

Andhra Tomato Pickle Recipe

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 90 min
• Serves: 25

Main Ingredients:

1. tomato

Ingredients

• Tomatoes - 2 kgs, wash, cut into half and slice each half into 10-12 thin slices
• Salt - 2 1/2 to 3 tbsps
• Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
• For tempering:
• Oil - 200 ml
• Mustards seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp (optional)
• Urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Dry red chilis - 6, tear and de-seed
• Curry leaves - 4-5 sprigs
• Asafoetida - 1 heaped tsp
• Red chili powder - 2 1/2 tbsps (can be increased by another 1/2 tbsp)

Method

1. Wash the tomatoes and slice them into slightly thin long pieces. Set aside.
2. Heat 50 ml oil in a large vessel, add the tomatoes and cook on high flame for 2 mts. Reduce flame and cook for at least an hour or so. Mix the tomatoes once in a while. Continue to cook till the water is almost evaporated. Towards the end of the cooking process, keeping mashing the tomatoes lighly with a ladle. It should be like a thick yet slightly loose consistency chunky sauce. Turn off flame.
3. Heat 150 ml oil in a separate pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add urad dal and dry red chilis and allow the dal to turn red. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and mix for a few secs. Turn off flame and allow to cool for a mt before adding the red chili powder. Mix and add this tempering immediately to the cooked tomato mixture.
4. Now turn on flame, add 2 1/2 tbsps salt and cook the tomato mixture till the oil floats on top. Check the salt and if required add more. Turn off flame. Cool completely and remove to a serving vessel.
5. Serve with any tiffin like idli and pongal OR with rice OR as a dip or salsa with chips.

Tips

• Use heirloom tomatoes or a mixture of heirloom and hybrid variety of tomatoes. Use 750 gms hybrid variety and 1250 gms heirloom variety.
• Do not skimp on the oil.
• If using cumin seeds, add them after the mustard seeds splutter along with urad dal.
• You can increase the amount of red chili powder based on your taste preference.
• Be careful when you add red chili powder to the tempering. Please tie a cloth around your nose and mouth when adding red chili powder to the tempering. It can give out an aroma that is slightly harsh on the senses. See that the oil is hot but not very hot when adding chili powder.
• Ensure you do not burn the red chili powder in the tempering.
• The quantity of salt will vary according to the sourness of the tomatoes.
• You can add a tsp of jaggery or sugar if the tomatoes are too sour.
• It can be stored at room temperature for only 48 hours during winters. During summer months, it should be refriegrated on the day of preparation. You can store in the fridge upto 6-7 days. Not more than a week.