Kalyana Rasam

 It really surprises me that I have not yet blogged about a single rasam in this space,being a south Indian I know the role of rasam in a typical south Indian meal.It is served as second course with steamed rice and often for its cleansing properties.Rasam is a must for people who eat an authentic sit down south Indian meal every day.I either make rasam or sambar when I cook for us,but when I have people over for lunch I make both sambar and rasam.There are so many many varieties of rasam right fro something simple like tomato rasam,oridinary rasam to something like thiskalyana rasam,dhuvadhasi rasam etc.There are also rasams with medicinal value,garlic rasam,milagu-jeeraga rasam(pepper-cumin) which are great for treating fever,sour throat etc.Yesterday when I made this for dinner I realized I have not blogged about it here,so I clicked the pics and here is the recipe.I think this is a special rasam served in weddings so the name kalyana(marriage) rasam :)
Kalyana rasam recipe
Star ingredients:Toor dal,pepper and cumin
Time:20 minutes
Serves:4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup toor dal
1 ripe tomato
1 small amla sized tamarind ball
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon pepper
2 dried red chillies
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
15 curry leaves
1/8 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon mustard
Salt
Ghee to temper
Method:
1.Dry roast pepper and cumin,grind to a fine powder.Soak tamarind in 1 1/2 cups water and make a thin extract.Pressure cook dal until very mushy and dissolve in 1 cup water.(There is should be no dal seen).
2.In a vessel add dal water,chopped tomato,asafoetida,10 curry leaves,1 teaspoon pepper-cumin powder and bring to a boil.
3.Add tamarind water,one more teaspoon pepper-cumin powder and let it boil for 10-12 minutes vigorously.
4.Add one more teaspoon pepper-cumin powder and simmer for 5 minutes.
5.Heat a kadai and add 1-2 teaspoons ghee.Temper with mustard,red chillies and remaining curry leaves.Add to the boiling rasam along with ghee.
6.Add washed cilantro,simmer for 3-4 minutes and cover.Remove from flame,keep it covered until serving to retain the flavor of cilantro.
Notes:
1.Usually when making rasam we take the second extract of tamarind,first extract goes to sambar.
2.Same way the water left after cooking dal for sambar is used for rasam.If making only rasam the cook the dal and mash it very well.
3.Do not cook for long time,rasam should be very watery.
4.It is best to temper for rasam with ghee.