Spicy Tomato Rasam snd Cucumber Kootu/Curry

Its been raining continuously in Bangalore and during these rainy days, I just love to have spicy rasam and a kootu with hot pipping rice....You can even have this rasam as a soup.




Spicy Tomato Rasam

Tomatoes - 3-4 cut into quarters
Tamarind- size of a small lemon
Rasam Powder - 3 spoons
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2
Coconut grated - 1 tablespoon (optional)
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - 1 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Cooked Toor Dhal - 2 tablespoon (Optional)
For seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Procedure

1. Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water and take the extract. I normally put it in the microwave for 30 secs and its much easier to squeeze the juice.
2. Heat the tamarind water in a thick bottom vessel and add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger and hing.
3. Once it boils for 5 -7 mins and the tomatoes become tender, add the rasam powder and stir well so that there are no lumps.
4. Add the cooked toor dhal with 1 cup of water and simmer it for 3 mins till a frothy layer forms on the top.
5. Add the jeera powder, pepper powder and coconut and take it off the stove.
6. Heat the ghee in a kadai and allow the mustard seeds to splutter. Then add the curry leaves and mix this with the rasam.
7. The spicy rasam is ready..

Don't start off your lunch straight away....check out this Cucumber Kootu / Curry...Its a great combination.

Cucumber Kootu / Curry
Cucumber (cut into cubes) - 1 1/2 cups
Cooked Toor dhal - 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 4 tablespoons
Jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 1
Pepper - 1 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
For Seasoning
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 1 tablespoon

Procedure
1. Cook the cucumber with very little water in the microwave till it becomes soft.
2. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies and pepper to a smooth paste.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and allow the mustard seeds to splutter. Then add the curry leaves.
4. Mix the ground paste and add a little water and fry it for 2 mins.
5. Stir in the cooked dhal and the cooked cucumber and mix well.
6. Add salt and turmeric powder and allow it to boil for 4 -5 mins.
7. The tasty curry is ready. You could use the same recipe for other vegetables like carrot and cabbage combination or using white pumpkin.

Enjoy this combination on a rainy day with hot rice and don't complain that you ate a little too much...!