Kalyana Rasam

INGREDIENTS:  Serves 4 to 5

1. Tomato - 1
2. Toor Dal-Cooked - 2 tablespoon
3. Ghee - For tempering
4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida - 1 small cube or 1/4 teaspoon
7. Coriander leaves - For seasoning
8. Tamarind - 1 small ball(Roughly half size of a lemon)

 TO ROAST AND GRIND:

1. Toor Dhal - 1 tablespoon
2. Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
3. Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
4. Curry leaves - one sprig
5. Red Chillies - 2 or 3 

METHOD:

1. Chop the 1/4 th tomatoes finely and keep them aside. Reserve the other 3/4th portion to grind with the roasted items.
2. Roast the ingredients under the “TO ROAST AND GRIND” table with 1/4 tsp of ghee.
3. Allow it to cool along with the 3/4 tomato and grind it into a fine paste by adding little water.
4.  Extract tamarind water and add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt to this.
5. Add the ground paste to the tamarind water.Allow this to boil in a low flame for 8-10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile cook the toordal and add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of water to the dal and add this to the tamarind-tomato mixture.
7. When it comes to a froth switch off the flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.
8. Temper the mustard seeds in ghee and add coriander leaves,finely cut tomatoes to the rasam and serve hot!You can add few cumin seeds and pepper seeds during tempering and add along with the mustard seeds.

Kandathippili Rasam

INGREDIENTS: Serves 3 to 4

1. Tamarind - gooseberry sized ball
2. Curry leaves - for seasoning
3. Mustard seeds - for seasoning.
4. Red chillies - for seasoning
5. Jeera seeds - 1 teaspoon
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Asafoetida powder or cube - 1/4 teaspoon powder / small cube.
8. Salt  - As per taste.
9. Garlic - 5 to 6 pods finely cut(Optional)

TO DRY ROAST AND GRIND: You can store this for up to 3 months.

1. Kandanthippili - 2 pieces each of about 1 inch
2. Toor dhal - 2 tablespoons
3. Coriander seeds(Dhaniya) - 2 tablespoons
4. Jeera seeds - 3 teaspoons
5. Whole black pepper - 2 teaspoons
6. Red chillies - 2 or 3 pieces.

METHOD:

1.  Extract the tamarind water . Add salt, asafoetida cube or powder,garlic pods finely cut,turmeric powder and keep in the stove.
2. Dry roast the ingredients and grind to powder and keep in airtight container.
3. Take a pan to season the items given for seasoning. Add 2 teaspoons ghee, and allow the mustard seeds to splutter. Once they splutter, add the red chillies,curry leaves,jeera seeds and keep aside.
4. After the mixture gets boiled add the powder. This mixture can take 1 tablespoon of powder.Taste it and add more powder if needed. Switch off the stove and add the seasoning which is ready.

NOTE: Kandanthippili and garlic are very good for gas,bloating.Also taking this during cold will help a lot.

Vepampoo Rasam(Neem Flower Rasam)

INGREDIENTS:

• Vepampoo(Dried Neem Flower ) - 2 teaspoons
• Salt - To taste
• Curry leaves - to season
• Mustard seeds - for seasoning
• Dry Red chillies- 3 or 4 
• Tamarind - size of 3 gems(button size)
• Ghee  - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida cube or powder

METHOD:

• Extract the tamarind juice from the tamarind
• Take a seasoning pan and add the ghee. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida cube or powder ,2 red chillies(Break into 2 pieces) , curry leaves and at last add the vepampoo. 
• Remove from flame after adding the vepampoo and keep it aside.
• Take a deep bottomed vessel and add the tamarind juice.Add the salt needed and spilt the red chillies (1 or 2) and allow this mixture to boil well.
• Once the raw smell of the tamarind goes well,remove from flame and add the already seasoned vepampoo.
• I have added this under medicine category since vepampoo kills all the germs in stomach.Having this weekly once will keep your stomach clean.
• NOTE: If the vempampoo is added when the rasam is in stove the rasam will be very bitter.

Rasam with Rasapodi(No dhal,No tomato version)

INGREDIENTS:Serves 4. Whenever you are affected by cold or heavyness this is a wonderful medicinal rasam.It has ginger,garlic,pepper,jeera,turmeric,redchillies - All of them combats in fighting cold.You can even take it as soup 2 or 3 times a day when you have heavy cold.

1. Tamarind - Less than lemon size
2. Red chillies -1 big size
3. Mustard seeds - to temper
4. Jeera seeds - to temper
5. Pepper seeds - 5 or 6 whole
6. Curry leaves and coriander leaves - to temper
7. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece(Optional)
8. Garlic pods - 3 or 4 (Optional)
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Rock salt/salt - to taste
11. Hing/Asafoetida - 1 small cube that is fried or powder 1/4 teaspoon
12. Rasam powder - 5 teaspoons 

I make my own rasam powder.This is the recipe for that. You can even use store bought but this powder gives authentic taste.

Rasam Powder: Makes around 250g and can be stored for upto 1 month or more in clean dry airtight container.

1. Toor dhal - 1.5 cup(100g)
2. Dhaniya/Coriander seeds - 1 cup(100g)
3. Asafoetida cube - around 1/4 inch
4. Jeera seeds - 2 teaspoons
5. Black pepper - 1 teaspoon(Increase this if you want spicy version)
6. Red chillies - 2 medium sized

Dry roast all the above ingredients and add a drop of oil and fry the asafoetida cube.Grind all these ingredients in mixer and keep it in a airtight container.

METHOD:

1. Extract the tamarind water and add the salt,turmeric powder,asafoetida,cut ginger and cut garlic.
2. Take a small frying pan and add 1/2 teaspoon oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add jeera,pepper,curry leavesand red chillies and keep aside. 
3. Once the raw smell of the tamarind goes add the rasam powder and little water .You can check the taste and add water and powder accordingly.After adding rasam powder keep the stove in low flame,once you get white froth like bubbles switch off and remove from flame.
4. Add coriander leaves and the already tempered items from step 2. Rasam is ready to serve!