Sunday, December 06, 2009

Lemon Rasam

Ooooh! the evenings are cold! At least for me. And what better reason to make some *hot*rasam and sip and imagine a howling wind and rattling window panes, steady snowfall piling up to create a white world.
If you have a vivid imagination like I do, you might be sniffling and shivering and probably have the fire place going and when in reality it is about 60-63 F [and to create a bit of drama... 50-55 F outside ( and that is, in the dead of the night) and NO snowfall and the windows are holding strong. Not that, that isn't cold enough for me!]
But it feels oh-so-good to hold a steaming cup and inhale the spicy-lemony flavor.
Taking a tentative sip, I know this is what the doctor recommended!
The heat coming from the ground peppercorns and the grated ginger, the lemony zing will make you wiggle your toes and dip the spoon in the bowl immediately. You can have this with rice, but I love to sip it like a soup.

1/4 cup Toor Daal
1 cup Water
1 inch piece Ginger, peeled and grated
4 Green Chiles ( or to taste)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
3/4 tsp Black Peppercorn
1 1/2 cup Water, extra
2 Tomatoes , quartered
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon
Cilantro to garnish

Tempering:
2 tsp Ghee
1 tsp Asafetida
1 Red Chile halved
Few Curry Leaves

Pressure cook the Toor daal and using a blender/ hand-held blender, blend until smooth
Grind the green chiles and ginger to a paste ( I prefer to grate the ginger and chop the chile and leave it at that)
Using a spice grinder (or as in my case a coffee grinder) grind the cumin and peppercorns to a fine powder
Place the daal in a heavy saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cup(extra) water, quartered tomatoes, ground turmeric, salt to taste, ginger-chile paste. Slowly bring to a boil
Heat 2 tsp ghee.
Add mustard seeds, asafetida, halved red chile, curry leaves and pepper cumin powder
When the mustard seeds sputter, add this to the rasam
Turn off the heat and add Lemon juice
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot (with rice)
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9 comments:

musical said...

Wah wah! This is one elixir that has sustained me in the past few days through all the cough and cold! A very satisfying preparation! Thanks, manasi!

Unknown said...

Just the thing!

chakhlere said...

I am just so much tempted to have that bowl of rassam right now. Yummmmmmmmmmmy!! Going make it.

Finla said...

I love love rasam, especially with rice and just pickles and that is more than enough for me to have a meal, except my daughter and hubby are not that much in favour. Slurp

Nupur said...

Remember the rasam powder you sent me many months ago? I use it ALL the time and it is our all-time favorite!

Manasi said...

Hi Musical, How are u now? Rasam does hit the spot with a cold. Take care girl!

Hi Joy, Thank u so much!

Hi Roopali, Do try it, it is yummy!

Hi Happy Cook, I second u, rice, rasam & pickle= meal!

Hi Nupur, U made my day! coming from u, means a lot to me! Thank u!

Usha said...

Lemon rasam is one of my favorites and yours looks fantastic !

trupti said...

oh man.......this sounds just right, I have exactly all the things you wish for right now....the howling wind, a fireplace and a blanket of fresh snow outside........now all I need is YOUR rasam!
-trupti

Unknown said...

'Lemon Rasam' a perfect delight for South Indians...Weather here demands a recreation of ur recipe in my Kitchen.....Great Entry!!!

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