Tomato - Garlic Rasam / Saaru ( Mangalore Style)

Tomato - Garlic Rasam (Mangalore style)

Homemade Mangalore Rasam Powder

Makes: 70 g

You will need

1 cup (100 g ) coriander seeds
10 dried red chillies
2 tablespoon gram dal (chana dal)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek / ulauva)
1 teaspoon hing (asafoetida / kaayam)
3 spring curry leaves (18 leaves)
1 teaspoon oil

Method

Heat oil in an iron kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and lightly fry hing and fenugreek seeds until light brown and fragrant.

Add coriander seeds, dried red chillies, gram dal, jeera and curry leaves. Fry on a low heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until crisp / well roasted and aromatic.

Transfer these ingredients into a mixer bowl and make a fine powder. Store in an airtight container / dry bottle.

Tomato - Garlic Rasam / Saaru

Serves: 3

You will need

1/2 cup ( 80 g ) tur dal
3 cups ( 300 ml ) water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon oil
Extra 1 cup water

Other ingredients:

2 tomatoes, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste ( or 1/4 cup (30 ml / 3 tablespoons tamarind juice )
3 teaspoon Mangalore Rasam Powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida ( hing )
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1 teaspoon lemon juice ( optional )
1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves ( optional )

Seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 spring curry leaves
2 red chillies, broken

Method

Wash and clean tur dal. In a pressure cooker, boil dal with 3 cups water, turmeric powder and oil ( reduce the heat to medium after 2 nd whistle and pressure cook for 20 minutes or till done and soft ). Allow to cool naturally.

Open the lid. Strain the dal stock / water through a strainer ( you can use 1/2 cup leftover cooked dal for dal fry or other dal based dishes ) and mix with extra 1 cup water.

In a bowl, mix dal stock with extra 1 cup water, tamarind paste / juice, chopped tomatoes, garlic, Mangalore Rasam powder, asafoetida, jaggery (optional), pepper powder and salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes or till done / fragrant / tomatoes well blended with spices / softens.

Seasoning:

In a small pan, heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add curry leaves and broken red chillies. Pour this seasoning over tomato - garlic rasam and serve hot with rice. Add lemon juice ( optional - it will enhance the taste ) and chopped coriander leaves when serving.