Lemon ginger rasam

This version of lemon ginger rasam was concocted (by myself) when I fell severely ill due to catching a stomach bug and flu. I had severe nausea for several days with very high fever until I had the first serving of this rasam. The first serving of this rasam proved that it is anti-emetic, thus restoring my energy back from a debilitated being. It was great in reducing my flu symptoms too restoring life back to normalcy. It is super easy and super quick to make and heavenly to taste.


Ingredients


Lemon                                                   - 1 big one
Ginger                                                   -  4 inch piece
Salt                                                        - To taste
Water                                                     - 1.5 cups


To temper

Oil                                                       -   1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                     - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies                                     -  4 nos broken to two

Method

1. Grate ginger.
2. Heat a saucepan on stove. Add oil and mustard seeds to splutter. 
3. Add green chillies and stir for 1/2 minute
4. Add water.  Add grated ginger and salt.
5. Let the mixture come to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and immediately juice lemon and add the juice to this mixture and mix well.

Lemon ginger rasam is ready to be had with just rice  or anything as side dish if you wish to have one.

Red chili paste ( Indian style)

Red chili paste is very easy to make and it gives a nice colour without adding any food colour especially in recipes like pav bhaji. I feel that it gives better flavor than its powder counterpart and the taste is delightfully distinguishable.

Red chili paste

Ingredients

Dried kashmiri red chillies                                                     30 nos
Water                                                                                       Just enough to immerse them
Lemon juice/ Vinegar                                                             1 tsp

Method

1. Add red chillies to a saucepan and add enough water just to immerse them
2. Add vinegar/lemon juice to it. Presence of acid helps extracting the colour from red chillies.
3. Let it come to a boil and cover the saucepan with a lid. Let it boil for 15-20 minutes in medium heat.
4. Grind it to a very thick paste. If there was any water left after boiling and if it is very little, use it in the paste. 

Red chili paste is ready to be used in anything that you want it to be used.

Mysore rasam

Mysore rasam is a delectable rasam that is very quick to make and have. I have some wonderful memories of my childhood days with this rasam. Delving into the details would be a good idea than getting bored reading about me. So,

Ingredients

Tamarind pulp/ paste                                                           1 lemon sized ball/ 1.5 tsps
Sambar powder                                                                   1.5 tsps
Asafoetida                                                                           1 pinch
Salt                                                                                      To taste
Water                                                                                   2.5 cups

To grind

Dhaniya/ Coriander seeds                                                 1 tsp
Red chilli                                                                           1 nos
Toor dal/ Thuvaramparuppu                                              1 tsp
Shredded coconut/ Dessicated coconut powder                 2 tsps / 1 tsp
Cumin seeds                                                                        1 tsp

To temper

Ghee                                                                                    1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                                      1/2 tsp
Curry leaves                                                                         1 sprig

Method

1.  Soak tamarind pulp in hot water to extract syrup for 15 mins.
2. Extract tamarind syrup. Use 1.5 cups of water to make the syrup. If using tamarind paste, dissolve it in 1.5 cups of warm water to make the syrup.
3. Add sambar powder, salt and asafoetida to it  and let it simmer for 10 mins until the raw smell of sambar powder transforms into an intoxicating aroma.
4. Simultaneously dry roast dhaniya/ coriander seeds, red chilli and toor dal together until toor dal turns golden brown. Now add shredded coconut/ dessicated coconut powder and roast it until it becomes golden brown and remove from stove. Now add cumin seeds and give it a good mix. 
5. Dry grind all the roasted ingredients together to a powder. Add remaining cup of water to it and mix it with the boiling rasam. Bring the heat to low and let it froth.
6. Simultaneously, heat a tsp of ghee in a small stir fry pan. Add mustard seeds to splutter and curry leaves.  Pour it on top of rasam and remove it from heat.

Mysore rasam is ready to be had with hot rice and pretty much any veggie side dish or just plain appalam/papad.