Awarekai Rasam (Saaru)

Awarekai or the field bean has the best quality to accomodate any type of dishes, like curry to mixing with rice, fried item to sweets. Karnataka people enjoy using this pod in their daily dishes. Whether its breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner time,  The dish is prepared with Awarekai I can bet. The people are very fond of this Awarekai and will be waiting for Aware Kai  season. People dry this pod in the sun and keep some for using during the rest of the year.

Awarekai is like other pods, is full of nutrients, vitamins and defenitely good for winter season. It is full of proteins.
Here is a recipe of Awarekai saru. Its simple and with minimum things you can prepare this saaru, when you are tired it really helps you to refresh. Awarekai Saru or Rasam can be eaten with Hot rice, idly or with dosa too. We can also serve Awarekai saru as a starter for a change and I am sure the whole family members will defenitely love to have Awarekai Saru.

Ingredients :

To Cook :

Awarekai : 1 Cup

To Grind
Rasam Powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Cooked Avarekai

To Add :
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Table spoons
Tomatoes : 2 (Medium size)
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Ingh : a pinch
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
 Salt : As per taste (less or more)
Water: 3 to 4 Cups
For seasoning
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

Method : 
1. Wash and pressure cook Aware kai for 8 to 10 minutes and leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes, green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves. Grate coconut.
3. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp and keep the pulp aside.
4. Grind coconut, rasam powder, Cooked avarekai (1/2 The portion of cooked averekai).

5. Keep a big pan on the fire and put remaining avarekai, tamarind pulp, tomatoes, methi/fenugrik seeds, turmeric powder and salt.
6. Let it boil nicely. Now add ground coconut mixture and boil the saaru for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water required.
7. Now keep a small pan on the fire. Heat and put oil.
8. Put mustard seeds. Let mustard seeds spurt. Add jeera.
9. Add curry leaves and ingh  and put this mustard mixture to Awarekai Saru.

10. Put a spoon of fresh ghee and shift the Saaru to a serving bowl.
11. Now serve Awarekai Saaru with Hot rice, idly or dosas
12. Add a spoon of ghee to Avarekai Saaru and serve.

Note :

 Awarekai should be cooked well. You can also use garlic and onions while grinding  or while seasoning. It gives a different taste. You can also use more chilly if like it spicy. Adding jaggery also is optional.   You can also try prepareing the same saru with Peas or any other vegetalbs like beetroots. Using any brand of rasam powder is optional. I have used home made rasam powder. Adding methi seeds help to reduce the cholesterol content.

Servings : 3 to 4 
Time :30 Minutes.
Just try this method for home made rasam Powder:
Dry roast, 1/4 teaspoon of methi/fenugrik seeds, 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 5 to 6 red chilly (byadagi), 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds and 4 to 5 grains of mustard seeds. Dry roast or use a spoon of oil to roast. Add curry leaves (handful) at the end and little ingh and dry grind it. Your home made rasam powder is ready to use.

Mixed Green leaves Rasam and Dry Palya.

Mixed Green leaves  Rasam and Dry Palya is twin dishes and that goes well with plain rice. It is  one of the signature dish of every household of Karnataka.

Mixed green leaves and dry curry is a healthy dish and good for all age group. Use of leaves are regularly will help us to get good amount of minerals and vitamins. Rasam can be eaten with plain rice and it can be used as soup. We can have this palya with almost all main dishes. The dishes are normally spicy but I have made it moderate spice.
Let us see the recipes now :

First step :

Things Needed :
Palak-Methi and Dil leaves : Each 1 bundle.
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Method:
1. Wash and cut all the green leaves in to small.
2. Wash daal .
3. Mix daal and green leaves and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not pressure cook since it over cooks and the mixture will be very soft.
4. Now drain all the water from the daal -leaves mixture. Keep the drained water and dal -leaves mixture separately.
Let us prepare Rasam:

Rasam Recipe:

Things Needed :
Extract from cooked dal and Mixed leaves : 2 to 3 Glasses.
Mixed leaves and cooked dal mixture : 2 Tablespoons
Rasam Powder : 2 Tablespoons (Any brand)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Tablespoons ( 1 Marble size tamarind)
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
For Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 or little more
Method :
1. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves, slit green chilly and grate coconut.

2. Now take 2 spoons of cooked daal-leaves mixture, 1 tablespoon of coconut mixture, rasam powder and grind it together using little water till paste. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp. Keep it aside.
3. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 tea spoon of oil mustard seeds, urd daal and ingh. Let the mustard spurt. Add curry leaves. Add the separated water from the cooked daal mixture. Add turmeric powder. Let it boil.
4 Now add ground coconut paste to the boiling water. Add tamarind pulp. Add required salt. Add water if required and boil for 5 minutes.
5. Add coriander leaves and a spoon of ghee. Put it in a serving bowl.

Dry Palya Recipe:

Things Needed :
Mixed leaves and dal mixture :
Ginger : An inch
Green chilly : 2
Curry Leaves : 1 Handful
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoon
Cooking oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Method :
Wash and cut curry leaves, coriander leaves, slit green chilly and grate ginger. (Remove the outer layer and wash it again before grating)
1. Keep a big pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 table spoon of oil. Put 1/2 tea spoon of mustard seeds. Let it spurt. Add jeeara and curry leaves to it.
2. Add cut green chilly and fry for 10 seconds. Add separated dal-leaves mixture. Mix it nicely.
3. Add required salt, grated ginger and turmeric powder to the mixture and mix it well.
4. Add fresh grated coconut.  Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add coriander leaves and shift the dry palya to a serving bowl.

Note:
Adding onions and garlic to dry palaya is optional. Just fry it along with seasonings. Adding more chilly is optional. Spicy dry palya taste better. Adding little ghee to rasam adds to the taste. Adding fried garlic adds to the taste. (Optional - I have not added). You can also add some garam masala to dry palya. (I did not ).

Soup Recipe.

You can also prepare Soup with the drained water.
1. Add pepper and salt and lemon juice to the mixture and boil. Grind 2 tablespoons of daal-leaves mixture and add it to the soup. Add a spoon of corn flour dissolved in one cup of water. Add coriander leaves and grated ginger. Serve this hot soup and some papad.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Huruli Saaru .( Horse Gram Rasam ).

Huruli or Horse Gram is a pulse, good for the body during winter, and also said it is very good for galbladder stone which will reduce or remove the stones. ( Home remedy ).

We can prepare Rasam , idly even kosumabari( salad after cooking the horse gram). also can be prepared. Horse gram Rasam taste super and it is very good  during rainy season since it keeps the body warm. We can have this Rasam as soup, or with rice or with idly  and dosas.
Things needed :

To Cook :
Huruli (Horse gram) : 1 cup.
To Add :
Tamarind : 3 Table spoons pulp.
Salt : to taste .
Water : 3 to 4 cups.
Coriander leaves :  2 to 3 Table spoons.( cut ones).
Turmeric powder : a pinch
To Grind :
Coconut : Grated : 1 Tablespoon
Rasam Powder : 2 Table spoons.
Handful of  Cooked Hulurli /Horse Gram
To Season :
Oil : 1 Table spoon.
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Ingh ; a pinch .
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :
 1.Wash and cook Huruli/horsegram in pressure cooker and leave it for cooling.
2. Grate coconut and grind it with rasam powder and cooked huruli/ horse gram. (2 to 3 tablespoons). 

3. Soak tamarind with hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp and keep the pulp aside

4. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Add ground coconut mixture. Add tamarind pulp, add salt.

5. Add turmeric powder and  2 to 3 glasses of water. Mix it well and boil it for 4 to 5 minutes.

6. Add mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves seasoning and serve with hot plain rice and a spoon of fresh ghee.

Note :
Grinding the Cooked and cooled Huruli will give a good texture and taste. Adding coconut is while grinding is optional. You can.  M.T.R.  or Mayyas Rasam powder can be added.  You can add garlic while frying mustard seeds. It gives a different taste. You can also add a teaspoon of fresh ghee. (Optional). Adding a teaspoon of coconut oil is also optional.
We people from Udupi normally prepare rasam powder fresh, when we prepare rasam. It not only adds aroma to the saaru (rasam), it adds to the taste. Fresh rasam powder will definitely make rasam to spread the fresh aroma to the surroundings..
Here is a recipe of fresh rasam powder :
Even you can prepare rasam powder at home and home made rasam powder is the best to use. Rasam Powder can be prepared by roasting 4 table spoons of Coriander seeds , 1 tea spoon of jeera , 1/4 tea spoon of Methi ( Fenugrik seeds) and  6 to 8 red chillies.  Roast each one separately and leave it for cooling . Dry grind when it is cooled and use the wanted quantity.
Serves : 5 to 6.
Time 30 minutes.

Lemon Rasam.

Lemon Rasam is a liquid type of dish.  You can drink this as soup or starter or even you can eat with rice. It also helps as appetizer. It helps for easy digestion and it helps to improve your taste bud when you are sick.

Pepper seeds, jeera and jaggery is used while preparing this rasam and that adds to the healthy ingredients which helps you to get well soon.
Lets see the recipe Now:

Things Needed:

Lemon : 2 to 3.
Water : 3 to 4 cups.
Green chilly : 2.
Pepper Seeds : 6 to 8.
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon.
Salt :  To taste.
Ingh (Asafetida) : a pinch.
Turmeric Powder : a pinch.
Oil : 1 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.
Coriander Leaves 1 Table spoon.
Ginger : an Inch .

Method:

1.Wash coriander leaves, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves and cut them small.
2.Grate ginger and crush pepper seeds. Keep them aside.
3.Now keep a pan on the fire. Put oil and heat.
4.Put jeera and crushed pepper. Leave it for 10 seconds.
5. Now add curry leaves and ingh to it. Put water and let it boil.
6. Add cut green chilly and ginger to it.
7. Add turmeric powder, salt and jaggery to the boiling water.
8. Let it boil for 1 minute.
9. Squeeze out juice from lemon to the boiling water.
10. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Add coriander leaves and serve Lemon Rasam with hot rice. OR serve as starter or use it when you have throat pain or fever. This works as kashaya too.
12. Hot Rasam is good for throat.
Its a good appetizer too.

Note : 

You can add more lemon juice if you want. Be careful not to add the seeds since it gives the bitter taste. You can add garlic to this rasam if you are fond of garlic flavour. Definitely it gives a different taste. Adding a spoon of ghee will give better taste. But remember if you are preparing this rasam for the sick person strictly do not add ghee.
Serves. 2 to 3.

Simply Simple Daal..

Simply simple daal is a gravy and you can have this with rice, chapati , roti, poories. dosas and Idly too.  Its very easy to prepare and  very good for all age group people.
Things needed :
Toor Daal : 1 Cup
Urd daal : 2 Table spoons.
Green chilly : 2
Tomatoes : 4 to 5.
Onions : 2 to 3.
Ginger : 1 Inch .
Coriander leaves: 2 Table spoons.
Curry leaves : 8 to 10 leaves.
/Salt : to taste.
Oil :  1 Table spoon.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Methi Seeds : 4 to 6 seeds.
Ingh : a pinch.
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Rasam powder : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Water: 2 Cups.
Yellow Powder ( Turmeric) : a pinch.

Method :
Wash and cook both toor and urd daal together in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes. ( use enough water to cook the daal). Cut  onions, tomatoes , green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves . Grate ginger and keep it aside.
Now keep  a big pan on the fire . Heat and put oil in it. Put mustard seeds and jeera . Put ingh and curry leaves to it.  Add ginger and green chilly . Fry for 1 minute and add cut onions. Fry nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add cut tomatoes and fry nicely. Add turmeric powder, salt, garam masala powder, rasam powder and fry . Add 1/2 cup of water and cook for 2 minutes. Now add cooked daal  and mix well and cook on low flame.
Can add little water if the curry turns very thick.  Boil for 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in between .  Add cut coriander leaves and  a table spoon of  ghee and serve  Daal  with  rice or chapati.
Note : Daal  should be cooked nicely to get the good taste.  Can add more green chillies if you like spicy. Can add a spoon of  fresh coconut also while the daal is cooking .  Can add a spoon full of fresh lime juice after the curry is done to give a tangy taste to the daal.  See that daal is not burnt while cooking.


Serves:  3 to 4

Beetroot Rasam

Beetroot Rasamis can be a starter like soup or you can have it with plain rice. This is one of my old recipe and try to update with pics and some information too. I am adding a tip given by shivuH who is my follower and a friend I can say. I have cooked the beetroot with its skin and then removed the outer of beet just like potato. It is easy and good too. Remember to soak the whole beet in normal water for at least 20 minutes. It helps to reduce the chemical which is used while growing beet.
When you feel like having something different, healthy and energetic you can think of making this Beetroot Rasam.

It is easy to prepare as I always say about my recipes are easy. It is healthy I can say since beetroot contain many many healthy qualities.I have used very little toor dal which is protein content. Spices are usually at home and M. T. R. or Mayya's Rasam powder is best to use to get good aroma and proper rasam taste.
Lets see some benefits of having Beetroot in our diet:
Beetroot decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. It also helps to promote a healthy complexion and hair. It helps in providing good energy. Beetroot helps to maintain the blood pressure and good for digestion. It helps to control the blood sugar level and good for anemia. It reduces the bad cholesterol. It is high in soluble fiber and eases the constipation problems. It also helps to boost brain power. Beetroots contain potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B, C, beta carotene, beta cyanine, folic acid. They are a wonderful tonic for the liver and works as a purifier for the blood.

Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Beetroot : 1
Toor Dal : 2 Tablespoons
To : Grind :
Cooked Beetroot:
Rasam Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh : a little
To Add
Water : 2 to 3 Cups
Mustard seeds and Urid dal Seasing : 1 Teaspoon oil or ghee, mustard seeds, urid dal (1/2 Teaspoon each), curry leaves and ingh
Coriander leaves " 2 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 (to the seasoning)
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a little (1/4 Teaspoon)
Tamarind pulp : a small marble size tamarind
Salt : as required
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 1 

Method : 

1. Wash and pressure cook, toor dal and beetroot with its skin for 6 to 8 minutes.(Keep beetroot separately in a bowl). Leave it for cooling.

2. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.
3. Remove the outer layer of beetroot (like potato skin), and cut it in to small pieces.
4. Now grind beet pieces with rasam powder and remove from the mixi jar.

5. Take a big pan and add cooked toor dal (just mash it a little before adding water), ground beetroot mixture, tamarind pulp.
6. Add 2 to 3 cups of water and salt. Add, Cut green chilly, methi seeds and turmeric powder. Mix it well and bring it to boil.

7. Add muster-urid dal, curry leaves and ingh seasoning with ghee or oil. Shift the Beetroot rasam to a serving dish.
8. Add cut coriander leaves and serve Beetroot rasam as soup or with plain rice as one of the side dish.

Home made Rasam Powder recipe :

Roast  1/4 tea spoon of methi, 2 table spoons coriander seeds, 6 to 8 red chillies and 1/2 tea spoon of jeera  one by one till brown. Add pinch of ingh and curry leaves and roast . Dry grind when the mixture turns cool.

Note : 

Adding garlic is optional. (Beetroot rasam goes well with fried garlic). I have not used. Using ghee is optional. Adding moong dal instead of toor dal is also an optional. Adding water to the rasam (thick or thin) is also optional. Mashing cooked dal helps rasam to get good binding.Adding green chilly gives good aroma. Adding any brand of rasam powder is optional.

Serves : 4 to 5
Time : 30 minutes.

Kokum Rasam/Punar Puli Saaru

Kokum /Punar Puli/Murudina Odu Rasam is good for digestion. It helps to get back the taste you lost during your sickness.

It is a practice in Dakshina Kannada and Malenadu (in Karnataka State) of using this Kokum once in a while. It is used to prepare rasam and drink during indigestion and fever. It helps to cure cold and helps to get back the taste of the taste bud in tongue..
Let us see the recipe. You can serve this rasam as soup too.

Things Needed:

Dried Cocum  : 5 to 6
Water : 2 cups
Green chillies : 2
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoon ( wash and cut into small pieces).
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Salt :to taste
Jaggery  : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper : 1/4 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh :  a pinch
Turmeric powder: a pinch.

Method : 

1. Soak Kokum pods in hot water. (Wash it before you use). Squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.

2. Crush pepper and jeera.

3. Wash coriander leaves and curry leaves. Cut into small. Wash green chilly and slit in between.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add little ghee and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
5. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add slit green chilly.
6. Add kokum pulp and add 2 to 3 glasses of water.

7.Add turmeric powder and jaggery . Let it boil nicely. Add crushed pepper and jeera. Add salt.

8. Let it boil nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.Shift Kokum Rasam to a serving dish.

9. Add cut coriander leaves and serve.

Note: 

You can add more water to take out the content from kokum pods. Adding more jaggery is optional.
This tangy and sweet taste is nice to have like a soup. Adding more pepper is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5. 

You can prepare this and serve as soup.

Good for cold, cough, cooling down the body, removes pittam. Helps in easy digestion and helps the tasty bud to get better. (Tongue taste bud)