Mysore Rasam (Tomato Lentil Soup)
Few years back, I had this short stint in Mysore in Karnataka. Mysore is a very beautiful place.
With a near perfect weather, rich history and beautiful temples, it has everything that takes to entice localites and visitors.
But of all, if there is anything that will make you go back to this place again and again, it's their food.
The neer dosas with their sambhar, the Maddur Vadas, the Mysore rasam and few of the best desserts like Mysore Pak are its specialities.Its a perfect place for vacation when you dont really care about what you gorge on.
Though you can get your hands on few authentic dishes only when you go there, there are other few like Mysore pak and Mysore rasam which is famous in many southern parts of India. My mom especially is an expert in making Mysore rasam.
Rasam is a soup that is prepared from the juice of tamarind or tomatoes with additional flavors in it. Very easy
to prepare, it can be a great value add to a simple comfort meal. It has many variations and we can almost say, no two cooks make the rasam the same way. This one is my favorite from my mom's kitchen,I'm pretty sure my kids would say the same in the future too :)
Cooking Level : Easy
Ingredients :
To Roast and Grind :
Chana Dhal - 2 Tbsp.
Coriander Seeds - 2 Tbsp.
PepperCorn - 6-7
Red Chillies - 2
Coconut - shredded - 2 Tbsp.
Hing - to taste
Cumin Seeds - 1 Tbsp.
jaggery or sugar - 1 Tbsp.
For the soup :
Tamarind - one small ball
Tomatoes - 2 big
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 Cups (For Rasam) + 1 Cup (for boiling the Dal)
Salt - to taste.
turmeric - a pinch.
Coriander leaves / Cilantro - for garnish.
For Seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
fenugreek seeds - 3-4
curry leaves - 2
Preparation : Time 15-20 mts.
Pressure cook the Toor Dal and tomatoes till the Dhal is soft and done (5-6 whistles).
Dry roast and grind all the ingredients under 'To Roast and Grind' to a coarse powder.
Cooking : Time : 15-20 Mts.
Boil water and add the turmeric, let it boil for 5 min. Add salt and turmeric.
After 5 min, once the boil comes, add the pressure cooked tomatoes, I recommend taking of the peels though its optional.
We could also add raw chopped tomatoes at this step, pressure cooking them helps in fast and quick cooking of the tomatoes.
Add the ground rasam powder and let everything boil in simmer for about 5 min.
Finally add the jaggery and the cooked dhal and boil it for 5 more min.
Heat another pan add 1 Tbsp. of Oil or Ghee and add the items under 'Seasoning' and let it splutter.
Add this to the rasam , garnish with the coriander leaves and its all set to serve.
Enjoy the hot rasam as a soup or with rice.
