Velan's Cuisine Extraordinaire

[mexicomeat]

my rasam recipe - sorry no pictures, only recipe.

1. wash, rinse a handful of toordal and masoor dal, cook and keep aside
2. dry roast pepper seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. make a powder of it and keep aside
3. take a vessel, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, round chilli (2 numbers), 8-10 cloves of crushed garlic
4. saute for a while, add curry leaves ; cut the stalk of curry leaves into half and add it to the oil and saute
5. add one whole tomato cut into 8 pieces (you don't have to finely chop) and add a bit of salt
6. add 2 spoons of your favourite rasam powder - i have tried several brands and i recommend 777 brand or sakthi brand. If you cannot get this, then as the second option, go for grb brand or nirapara or double horse or priya. i don't like mtr rasam powder and i wouldn't recommend it.
7. by now, the tomato would start to shed the skin - add a nice dollop of tamarind paste followed by a generous amount of water
8. add a spoon of spice from step #2 and add two spoons of dhal from step #1
9. you can add more dhal, pepper powder, spice from step #2 and salt to suit the consistency and your taste
10. stop rasam immediately after it comes to a boil. don't over cook.

you can now discard the curry leaf stalk and add coriander leaves to the rasam. enjoy.